


Something Happens When I Hold Him

by winglesswarrior



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, One Direction (Band)
Genre: Bad Jokes, Buffy the Vampire Slayer AU, M/M, Minor Character Death, Minor Violence, Slayer!Niall, Witches, dead vampires, little mix - Freeform, vampire!Harry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-06
Updated: 2016-07-05
Packaged: 2018-07-21 20:41:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 23,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7403353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/winglesswarrior/pseuds/winglesswarrior
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The night Niall is activated as a slayer is a fateful one, full of rain and blood.</p><p>That was two years ago and now all he wants to do is be a normal uni student in London. He wants to flirt with the cute teaching assistant that teaches his Intro to Programming class. He wants to do anything but kill vampires. </p><p>But people don't retire from being slayers. And the monsters are still out there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Niallspecs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Niallspecs/gifts).



> Whew. SO. I'm incredibly late in this. I'm SO SORRY. But it got longer than I expected. 
> 
> I think I stuck to the original prompt as much as possible (and had to laugh that I'm one of the few 1D'ers that's old enough to have watched Buffy the first go 'round--don't do the math on that!). Hopefully it lives up to expectations. It was fun to write for sure. 
> 
> Obviously, this is a work of fiction and I have no claims on the Buffy universe or any of the members of 1D.

_“It’s up to you now.”_

While a night where it was pouring buckets wasn’t uncommon in Mullingar, the angry banging outside his mum’s door was. Niall hit pause on the horror flick he’d been watching, adjusting his glasses and pulling the cardigan he’d stolen from his brother around him more, then went to the door. Probably just Greg, locked out and drenched, like he’d done since he’d gotten old enough to make his own rules about curfew. 

The bell at the door went off, long and drawn out like someone was literally leaning on it, and Niall wrenched it open against a gust, glaring at his brother. Only it wasn’t his brother. 

Two hooded figures pushed past, one dumped unceremoniously on the bench in the mudroom, like they belonged there, like they knew right where the best place to stop was. “Wha…” he started, staring, even more so when the still standing one pushed his hood back and shook out a mess of light brown hair. 

“Close the bloody door, will yah?” he demanded, then turned back to the other figure, pushing his hood back as well. “Should have taken you anywhere else,” he grumbled under his breath, but the moan from his partner cut off his complaints. 

“I need to be here. I need to see him.” 

Niall turned away from the door, staring at that voice, that face. “Zee?” 

The long dark locks were gone, replaced with a close cut and bleached out tips, a new nose ring, but still the same guy. Niall abandoned the door, still half open, ignoring the grumble from whoever it was with Zayn, and went to the familiar face. Or it had been. He was paler than Zayn ever should have been, not that Niall knew him well, but it wasn’t like Zayn had a face anyone could forget. A ten minute chat at the open bar of a wedding that wasn’t checking his ID was more than enough to stay etched in Niall’s dreams and fantasies. 

“What’s going on?” Niall demanded, looking back at Zayn’s companion. He’d managed to close the door for them, but had slid to the floor in front of it, his blue eyes stormy even in the dim light. 

“Niall,” Zayn said when the silence from the other man stretched too long. Niall looked back to Zayn, surprised to see his hand on Niall’s arm, warm, but damp, not from the rain. From blood. From the blood staining his side. His hoodie wasn’t red. It was gray and blood stained. 

“Oh my god, what are you...you’re bleeding! You need to go somewhere!” Somewhere that wasn’t the mud room at Niall’s mum’s house. He heard a choked noise from the other man, but Zayn held his attention with a small shake of his head. 

“Too late. I had to see you instead. You’re next.” 

“Next for what?” Niall was frantic, taking off his sweater to push it against the darkest blood patch on Zayn he could find. He was shit at first aid, but he’d learned it, something drilled into him by his mother. “Let me call someone. You,” he said to the other man, throwing him his phone. “Call for an ambulance.” 

“Nialler,” Zayn said, voice as stern as it could be with the waver in it. “Stop. It’s fine.” He gripped Niall’s hand, eyes sad. “Louis has done everything that could be done already. This is more important. You’re going to have to take over.” 

“Take over what?” Didn’t Zayn work in a pub? Niall was too young to work in a pub. What the hell? 

“Slaying, Niall. I know you know. You have to.” 

Niall’s skin went cold, gooseflesh running down his arms. He did know. He’d heard stories, mostly from his grandmother, tales of the warriors that his line descended from. It was all stories though, right? Ghost stories told to children to scare them. The monsters, they weren’t real. 

“He’s not ready,” the voice from the door demanded, tears choking his words. 

“He’ll have to be, Louis,” Zayn answered, then looked at Niall again. “You will be. You’ll feel different once,” he winced, and Niall watched the blood soak through the wool of his sweater. “Once this is done. But you’ll be great.” He pressed a bloody hand against Niall’s cheek, his fingers too cold for comfort. “I was hoping I’d get to train with you.” 

“But he’s a fucking kid.” Louis’ voice was muddled between anger and sorrow, but Niall couldn’t take his eyes off Zayn. Older, beautiful Zayn. Niall’d had a crush on him from the moment he saw him. 

“He’s going to be great,” Zayn answered, smile on his lips even as blood dribbled at the corner of his mouth. 

“The slayers, they’re girls,” Niall remembered suddenly, shaking his head. 

“They were,” Zayn answered, shifting as his hand fell from Niall’s cheek. “Then times changed. It’s not like you have a sister.” His smile was still there, fond despite the blood. 

“It’s up to you now.” 

Zayn’s eyes closed and his smile slipped. 

Everything moved in slow motion then. Louis pushing Niall out of the way, shouting Zayn’s name. Someone dialling the number for emergency services. Sirens, more people, and somewhere in it, Niall blacked out.


	2. Chapter 2

“Good job last night,” Bressie said, handing over a plate with a full Irish breakfast and steaming hot mug of coffee. 

Niall groaned, too young to be drinking so much coffee, too young to be curled up in a blanket in his Watcher’s kitchen. Bressie looked like the slayer, all shoulders and arms and well over a foot taller than him, but instead it was Niall with bruises on his cheeks that would heal after first classes of the morning. 

“You dusted four more, got us some information about the nest that might have taken...That we’ve been hunting.” Two years and they still hesitated over Zayn’s name. Zayn didn’t even die that night, not officially. That came later in a hospital room, plugged up to machines, but the moment he’d essentially flatlined in Niall’s mudroom, Niall had been activated. 

“Great,” Niall mumbled around a mouthful of food. It wasn’t that he was mad at Bressie; no, Bressie was great. He always made breakfast after long nights, let Niall heal up on his couch, and completely didn’t mind when Niall’s mother called him Niall’s boyfriend two months ago, as if that explained why they were spending too much time together. 

Niall had just hoped it would have gone differently. No one had dealt with Zayn’s death, beyond trying to figure out who or what had killed him. And Louis, he’d been there for a little while, helping Niall deal with the new abilities that had been activated, then one day he’d fucked off with no note, no contact number, and Bressie had called, stepping in to take Louis’ place. 

Half the job was training, half the job was trying not to die. Thankfully Niall healed quicker now. He was stronger than he’d ever been, stronger than his mountain of a Watcher even, but that didn’t make it easier. He’d started when he was sixteen, trying to survive college and slay monsters at night. He’d just barely managed to apply for universities and hadn’t mentioned the early acceptance letter that was folded up in his back pocket. He didn’t know how to tell Bressie he was leaving. 

It was bad to leave, he knew that. He hadn’t known how much was haunting the world around him, how dangerous it was, but now that he knew he didn’t want to have a part in it anymore. He wanted to leave. He deserved getting the hell out. He was too young to take all of this on. He hadn’t managed to keep his friends when he started missing footie matchups, he’d almost flunked out of school twice because he’d slept through exams, and he’d had to stake a teacher last year. Too damn much. 

Bressie was still talking, reading from one of his books, looking so out of place with the ancient tome in his giant hands, but Niall continued to tune him out. He’d catch up later. Instead he focused on his food, at least until Bressie snapped his fingers in front of Niall’s face. “Huh?” 

“Tomorrow. Were you able to get me a ticket?” 

Niall made a face. “To what?” 

Bressie laughed and shut his book, taking the now empty plate and setting it in the sink. “Your graduation, Nialler. You said you’d get me a ticket so I could go. I’m proud of you.” 

The acknowledgement made Niall blush, but he nodded, reaching for his backpack to pull out the extra ticket. He felt like a dick for doing it, already knowing that it was next to his ticket to London, but he still handed it over. They’d all be there and he’d be gone. 

\-----

He made it two weeks and about six hundred angry voicemails from his mum, Bressie, and his brother before being a slayer crashed back in on him. 

At least he’d had time to unpack. 

University was everything Niall had wanted it to be, even if it was only summer classes and half the actual student body. His roommate was a neat freak, his messes in contained little piles, bed made every morning, and usually covered with his books. Despite being told that it was Business, Niall wasn’t sure what Liam’s major was, his books ranging from economics to music production. He was nice though, in that wide-eyed innocent sort of way, and while fit, he always seemed too large for the space he wanted to take up. 

Niall loved the coffee shops, the smell of books in the library, the quiet. There weren’t vampires and monsters, and if he ignored his phone, there weren’t slayer duties. It was perfect. 

Perfect right up until someone screamed on campus during his walk home, and his instincts kicked in faster than he could think. He was running that way, stake that he swore he wouldn’t carry already out, because he knew that snarl, he knew what was coming before he saw it. The vamp had her, some student with her university hoodie on. He was making a meal of her, or was until Niall shoved the stake in his back. 

The vampire dusted before Niall fully registered what he’d done. He was supposed to be getting away, not deeper into it. Not sitting in the quad with a half conscious girl in his arms, stake hanging loosely in his hand. 

“Oi!” The huff of a shout came with pounding feet, then a wheezed breath or two before Niall looked up at the company he had. “She dead?” 

“No,” he said, holding the girl up as her eyes started to flutter. “Could ask you that though.” 

Louis put his hands on his knees and wheezed another breath before shaking his head. “Good. Been fucking chasing that asshat across campus and, whew damn.” 

“Your cardio sucks, mate.” Niall helped the girl up as she blinked into consciousness. “Hey, hey there.” He smiled at her, getting a weak smile in return. “You passed out I think,” he told her and she nodded like she believed him. It was probably easier than believing the truth. Most people weren’t keen on trying out the ‘hey, you almost had the life sucked out of you’ line. “Lou, here, is gonna call campus security and we’ll get them to give you a ride home, yeah? Maybe with a stop by the health center.” She nodded, head slumping on his shoulder. 

“Don’t call me that,” Louis said, grumbling, but he already had his phone out, stepping away to make the call. 

They waited until campus security had carted the girl off, then Niall turned to see Louis squinting at him. “What?” 

“It’s fucking you. You’re the reason he called like eighteen times?” 

“Got no idea what you’re talking about,” Niall said, grabbing his bag and checking his weapons, mostly out of habit than anything else. 

“Niall, the other Niall. He called me and insisted that his slayer had gone rogue. He was sure you were here to...I dunno, seek vengeance? Turns out it’s _you_ and you’re just trying to be a normal uni student.” 

Of course Bressie had called. That stupid Watcher phone tree. “Thought you’d fucked off and quit,” he said instead, which just got a glare out of Louis. 

“You don’t quit this job. You should know that.” He waved towards the pile of dust that was a vampire less than half an hour before. “No one just walks away.” 

Niall righted his back on his shoulder and shrugged. “I did. I’m doing it now. Glad you’re not dead, Lou.” He turned his back on Louis and walked away, internalizing the giant list of questions he had for the guy that had gone missing. It didn’t matter. Niall was done with that life. 

\------

Niall had an evening recitation for his Intro to Programming class, and the hour was his least favorite time of day. Just after the sun went down, his normal hunting hour, and he hated being out during it. It was just asking for trouble, wasn’t it? Still, he wanted to make good grades, so he trudged there, sky pink and orange then winking to black on the walk across campus. The room was in a line of others, in one of the ‘newer’ buildings that was still built before he was born. The desks were tiny, leftover from a time before laptops, the board up on a raised platform with a table there. 

Niall found a space, too close to the front for his usual comfort, but it was one of the few left. The class hadn’t started yet, but from what he could gather, the man in front of the board belonged to the block letters written behind him. Harry, all caps, period at the end. Niall arched a brow and looked at Harry, lost in a tattered copy of something, thumb pressed against his canine, swop of curls brushed off to one side, in hair longer than Niall had ever seen on a guy. 

He chewed on his lip, looking around, but no one else seemed to really notice the teaching assistant, too caught up in their own conversations and discussions. The class might have been intro, but it was required for several majors, and Niall could tell his classmates were mostly older, people that had put it off and were hoping the summer course was easier. They had other friends with them to be distracted by. Niall glanced back at the TA, watching him read until a bell chimed and he looked at his phone, then marked his page and stood up. 

He was tall, with legs in jeans that could have been leggings they were so tight, the left knee ripped on one. His shirt was just a plain white t-shirt, but Niall had never seen someone wear something so simple and make it look so different at the same time. He clapped his hands together to get the attention of the room, giving them a lazy smile as the conversations died out, before flicking his hair out of his eyes and pointing behind him to the name written on the board. 

“I’m Harry.” 

That was the last thing Niall heard. He was pretty sure there was an entire class that went on, there were notes on the board and Harry leaning over a laptop occasionally to show the code where his screen was projected. Other people were taking notes, typing on laptops, but Niall hadn’t even managed to open his. He was too caught up in the way Harry moved, the tone of his drawl, the way words seemed to flow out of him like they were meant to be there. Like they meant so much more than how to do the homework. 

The time passed quicker than Niall expected, much faster than two hours should have, and before he realized it, he was the only one left in the room. Well, him and a smirking Harry, who’d already gathered up his laptop and book, tucking both into his bag. 

“Don’t you have somewhere else to be?” he asked, wiping off the board full of notes that Niall hadn’t copied. 

“No.” Not true. He was supposed to meet Liam for dinner. There might be vampires invading his campus and, despite turning his back on his calling, he worried about that. He was supposed to be a million places other than right here, staring at this man that had drawn him in faster than anyone he’d ever met before. 

Harry chuckled in a slow, drawn out way that matched the way he spoke, pushing his hair out of his eyes. “Liar,” he teased, smiling over his shoulder as he grabbed his bag. “Come on, walk out with me. Hey, what do you call an everyday potato?” 

“A what?” Niall asked, practically knocking over his desk as he jumped up, bag already in hand. 

“An everyday potato,” Harry echoed, smiling to himself, but looking over at Niall. 

That was an odd question, he thought for a moment then shook his head, shrugging. “I dunno.” 

Harry chuckled again, laughing to himself, slowing his steps so Niall could match his stride. “A commentator.” 

Niall blinked, once, then twice, and after a moment barked a laugh, which earned him a bright smile from Harry. “That’s terrible.” 

Harry shrugged one shoulder, pushing his hair out of his eyes. “Still made you laugh.” 

That much was true, and really, more than anything, the soft smile that Harry was giving him was worth far more than his pride over how terrible that joke was. “Do you live nearby?” He asked, hoping he could walk Harry farther than the door to the building up ahead. 

Harry hummed and nodded, reaching the door first and holding it for Niall. “You’ve got someone waiting for you though,” he said, mouth turning down slightly. 

Niall was too busy watching the anchor tattoo on Harry’s wrist flex where he held the door look up right away. “Hmm?” 

“Your friend,” Harry said with a nod out of the room. “Over there, the lad with the hair.” 

Niall turned, frowning when he spotted Louis standing under a streetlight, playing at looking at his phone, but clearly keeping an eye on Niall instead. “What does he want?” Niall said mostly to himself, but Harry nudged him with an elbow. 

“Maybe you should go and find out,” he suggested, smirk in his voice, like he knew something that Niall didn’t. 

“He’s not-” Niall said when he turned back around, but Harry was gone. He huffed a sigh, looking towards the sky as if that might provide him some answer for how to deal with elusive men and a Watcher that refused to go away. The stars didn’t have a good answer, so he rolled his eyes and started walking, deliberately avoiding Louis. 

It wasn’t long before the smack of Van’s against gravel caught up with him, and Louis was tugging at his arm. “Don’t just walk off on me,” he demanded. “Who’s the curly one?” 

“My teaching assistant. And I’m not talking to you,” Niall said, decidedly ignoring that by saying that he was doing a bad job of not actually talking to Louis, but the intent was there. 

“You should talk to me. We need to talk about things. You’re here. You took forever, but you’ve gotten here and now we’ve got a job to do.” 

“Forever?” Niall asked, forgetting his plan to ignore Louis. “It was two years. I was training!” Then what Louis was saying clicked and he shook his head. “We do not have a job to do. I retired.” 

“You don’t retire! What do you think you are? No. You retire by dying. Stop that.” Louis smacked him and then reached into his back pocket and pulled out a haphazardly folded piece of paper. “Here, look. There’s reports all over London. _You_ have a job to do and I’m supposed to be helping you. Instead I’m out there doing it alone.” 

“You’re no Slayer,” Niall said, making a face, trying not to look at the printed news report, but he couldn’t help himself.

“Yeah, clearly aware of that, _mate_ ,” Louis grumbled with disdain, but Niall was actually ignoring him this time, too caught up in reading the article. More students had been attacked, all either on campus or just off of it. “It’s too many,” Louis said after giving Niall a chance to read. “We’re close to something, something bigger than we ever thought. A gate, a beacon, something, but it keeps bringing them in, coven by coven. And here look,” he added pointing to the page, further down where it mentioned animal attacks. 

“That? That’s not an animal. Or well, not a normal one. We don’t have fucking bears in London. We might not even have them in England for all I know. That’s…” Louis trailed off, face paler than usual. 

“What? That’s what?” Niall turned, looking at Louis. 

Louis sighed, looking at his feet, then patted his jacket pockets before pulling out a pack of cigarettes. “That’s what got Zee.” 

Just mention of the name turned Niall’s blood cold and he shoved the piece of paper back at Louis, though not fast enough to see him light up with Zayn’s lighter. “Then I don’t want anything to do with it. I told you. I quit.” 

“What?” Louis sputtered. “Are you a coward now?” 

“No,” Niall shook his head, bristling with rare anger. “A rationalist. This, is stupid. We can’t fight things we can’t see, that aren’t really there. It’s no use.” 

“But what if he’s back?” Louis demanded. “You’re a Slayer. You have a bloody job!” 

“A job I don’t want and I didn’t choose.” Niall shook his head. “Count me out. I’d like to live past twenty-five.” 

“Who says you won’t! I’ve got your back!” 

“And look how well that went for Zayn!” Niall regretted the words the moment they left his mouth, not truly meaning them. What had happened to Zayn was out of both of their hands, especially Louis’. It was too late though. The words were there and Louis went green for a second before the line of his mouth hardened. 

“I have been looking for a way to keep that from happening again. Unlike someone else,” he ground out before turning on his heel and stalking away from Niall. 

“Lou!” Niall knew calling out would do no good, that Louis wasn’t going to come back. He shouldn’t have said it. He knew better. He was supposed to be the nice guy. He drug his fingers through his hair, pulling at the ends before heading back towards the dorms.


	3. Chapter 3

University life wasn’t the cakewalk that Niall had anticipated. That was probably unfair, that he thought it would be simple, but he’d thought there’d be less studying. He was strongly reconsidering his course load, almost all of his classes giving him stress but one. And that was only because of Harry. 

“I think I’m going to write a book about wine storage,” Harry said, looking over the code that Niall was working on and pointing at the spot where the error was. 

“Yeah?” Niall asked, thinking that was a weird topic, but Harry wasn’t entirely normal either. He’d only been in his class for two weeks and he still hadn’t gotten over being painfully distracted at the sight of him. Tonight, it was like he was trying to distract on purpose, wearing a garrish looking shirt with some sort of paisley design and his hair pulled into a loose bun on top of his head.

“Yeah. It’ll be a best cellar.” Harry’s grin was too wide, too pleased with that joke and Niall pushed at his side, not able to help laughing. 

“That’s literally the worst, mate.”

Harry shrugged, winking at him before heading to the next student to review their work and help them sort out errors. 

At the end of class, Niall waited again, wanting to be last to leave, but he wasn’t the only one. More than one student lingered, asking Harry questions, clearly trying to prolong leaving, and it made Niall feel better that it wasn’t just him. Harry wasn’t the type of person he was normally attracted to, not with all that hair and his mess of tattoos that seemed to make no sense, but there was just something about him. How, in some moments, he could look so much older, so worldly, and in others he’d giggle and look like a nineteen year old kid stuck in a position of authority. Niall had never met anyone like him. 

When the last of the students finally left, girls staring as they walked away, Niall shuffled closer. “Can I walk you out?” 

There was a clear hesitation, where it looked like Harry was considering his options, but he wound up nodding, grabbing his bag and draping it over his shoulder. “Isn’t your friend meeting you?” He put too much emphasis on the word ‘friend’, clearly asking more than the casual question. 

“No,” Niall said. Technically, Louis wasn’t even speaking to him. The closest he’d come to speaking was titling one of his last emails with the subject “wanker”, but most of what Niall had heard from the Watcher was no subject emails with links to more reports on attacks near the school, on the campus itself. Even with the silent treatment, Louis was still stubborn.

Harry nodded solemnly, like Niall’s answer had been more than one word. “So where are you off to then?” He took his time getting through the question, which was a strange thing for Niall, too used to getting excited and speaking too fast. 

“Dorms, I guess. Told me roommate we’d have dinner. Why?” Was that a prelude to an offer for something else? Maybe. Niall certainly wouldn’t mind canceling on Liam at the last moment. For all his roommate’s talk about not being able to make friends, he had a nice little group of girls from one of his music classes that he spent plenty of time with. 

Harry just hummed again, like he was considering the answer. “Just curious what you get up to when you’re not in my class.” He smirked, just a twitch of the corner of his mouth and small dimple, which was an open expression, but still didn’t give much away. 

“Just normal uni student things,” Niall said. “What about you?” 

Harry chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. “Normal graduate student things.” 

That wasn’t much of an answer either, but maybe they were both being a little cagey. At the door of the building, Harry pointing in the opposite direction from where Niall was headed. “I’m that way.” Niall opened his mouth to offer to follow, but Harry was already taking a step away. “I’ll see you next week, Niall.” 

Niall wanted to protest, but Harry was already turning, headed away and disappearing once he left the light of the streetlamp. 

\--------

Things with Harry progressed about the same. They’d share a joke, or he’d catch Harry looking at him in that sort of open curious way, but every conversation, every moment, ended outside the door of the building where they each went a different way. Niall wanted to ask if he could take it farther, walk with Harry somewhere, anywhere, but the man, for all his interest in those five minutes before, didn’t seem interested in anything beyond the safety of the classroom building. It was almost enough to drive Nial mental, but without even realizing it, his chattering on about it, or his pacing or whatever he was doing, was enough to push his roommate over the ed. 

“That’s it!” Liam didn’t get loud, not often, nor did he slam his books shut and stand up so abruptly he almost toppled over sideways.

“Eureka?” Niall suggested, pushing his headphones the rest of the way off and staring at Liam as if he were insane. 

“You’re mumbling singing to yourself and you’ve been listening to every soppy song about breakups and unrequited love and I can’t do it anymore.” Liam drug his fingers through his hair, rubbing at the buzz cut before shaking his head again. “Get up. We need a pint and you need a distraction.” 

Niall narrowed his eyes. “Liam Payne, are you suggesting we get a drink?” Liam never suggested as much. Typically he spent most of his time trying not to worry a hole into his lower lip while studying what appeared to be three things at once. 

“Yes,” Liam stressed, reaching for his coat. “That’s how bad this is. I need a beer and you need to pull or something.”

“Who are you and what have you done with my roommate?” 

Liam didn’t answer; he just threw Niall’s jacket at him and went for the door, not looking back. Niall didn’t think he’d been that bad, but he could take a chance for a break when it was given and he just barely remembered to take off his headphones before following after Liam. He slung an arm around his roommate’s shoulder, grinning from ear to ear. “Student Union bar then?”

“Seems like the best choice,” Liam said with a shrug. “I do have to get back at a reasonable hour.” That sounded more like the Liam that Niall knew and loved, but he appreciated the distraction. He led Liam there, surprised that it was so packed for Thursday, but they managed to push through the dancing bodies and other students sipping at drinks to get to the bar. 

Niall drummed his hands on the bar after giving his order, looking around the small venue for who he didn’t know, but Liam was right, he needed to pull. He needed to get his mind off Harry, especially if it was the kind of crush that wasn’t ever going to pan out. That was what he had in mind right up until he spotted a set of brown curls. He leaned, pushing up so he was using the bar for leverage to get taller, sure it wasn’t Harry, but he had to confirm it before he could think about anything else. 

Just as his drinks arrived, the crowd shifted and there he was, tall, weirdly handsome, hair all over the place, shirt half undone. He was chatting with someone, some girl that Niall thought he’d seen around the dorms, but for just a second he looked up, green eyes standing out across the room, smirk almost too much and all for Niall. That was it though, just the glance, but it was enough to give Niall chills. When Harry leaned in closer to the girl to hear what she was saying, Niall remembered he had legs and they could move and they should move him back towards where he’d left Liam. 

Despite the crowd, he found his friend easily, only slightly surprised to see him standing with a few others, the girls he’d seen him with before, giggling with them over something. “What’s all this?” 

Liam cleared his throat and shook his head, flush on his cheeks. “That mine?” he asked, before introducing the girls with them. Jade was apparently in Liam’s music theory class and he’d met her friends that way. Niall held on to the edge of the conversation for a moment, but only until Harry caught his eye again, this time smiling though it seemed more pointed than usual. He’d just gathered up the nerves to go and talk to him when Harry reached for that girl again, whispering something in her ear that made her giggle. 

It went on like that for almost two hours, Niall only stopping his watch of Harry and the girl if he was sent to the bar for more drinks or if someone said something to him directly. Thankfully Liam was entertained with his friends, and Niall was on his own, drinking more pints than originally intended and watching Harry dance with the girl, mouth always close to her ear, eyes full of want. He truly looked like he was going to devour her, so different from the pleasant and amused smiles Niall got. 

He’d never seen this side of his crush, but now he wanted it. He desperately wanted it. Niall had always assumed Harry had kept his distance because he was a student, but here he was with some girl who was the same age, making eye contact with Niall across the room, like Niall needed to see it. Like he was rubbing salt in a raw wound. 

“Niall!” Liam snapped his fingers in front of Niall’s face, drawing him out of staring. 

“Wha?” 

“Pez asked you the same question three times,” Liam said with a sigh. “See why I brought him out?” He rolled his eyes at the blonde who just smiled and patted Niall’s arm. 

“He’s fine. Who’re you looking at?” She asked, like she’d asked before. 

Niall hesitated, then nodded out towards the dancefloor where Harry was whispering in his dance partner’s ear again. “The curls.” 

Perrie leaned in, seeing what Niall was seeing before making a small noise. She elbowed Leigh Anne, who looked up then where Perrie gestured before making a face. “Don’t bother with that one, Irish,” she said, patting his shoulder. 

“What?” 

“Harry Styles, right? I wouldn’t even start down the path. Just avoid it. Stay out of the woods.” 

Niall glanced at Perrie for some sort of explanation. She bit at her lower lip, then shrugged. “He’s got a reputation. Leigh Anne knows best, but yeah. He’s kind of...kind of a player? Everyone says as much. Takes you home, you have a great night you barely remember, but the next morning all you’ve got is a hangover and no texts.” She shrugged. “I’d avoid it if I could.” 

Looked back for Harry who was gone, which wasn’t really a surprise, but at the same time, it didn’t make things better. The girl was gone too. He sighed, knowing the girls were right. He should avoid it. 

Just like he needed the distraction, his phone buzzed in his pocket. The text from Louis was like real contact, even if it still wasn’t a real conversation starter. 

**Fucking wanker piece of shit**

Under it was a link to another article. This time a student had died, and when her picture came up, Niall was sure he knew her. Massive blood loss. A moment later his phone buzzed again. 

**You have a fucking job to do. Do it.**

\------

It was hard to ignore a crisis like that. Not when the attacks turned from scared city dwellers and students to dead bodies. Niall could ignore a lot, he could pretend he wasn’t a slayer for a lot of reasons, but not if there was a body count. Innocent lives were at stake. Literally. 

Liam had looked up confused when Niall left the next night, frowning, but Niall shrugged him off with a lame excuse about going to the library. Hell, he even brought his books with him, just for the show. He didn’t plan on using them, but he figured Liam would have picked up on the lie even quicker if he’d left his things behind. 

The first two vamps were easy to find, both looked surprised out of their minds that he was there. Niall dusted each one with an ease he wished he’d forgotten, but the third one took a little more work, especially when he got the drop on Niall, tossing him off to one side in a way that kept Niall from landing on his feet. 

“You’re supposed to be dead. The slayer here died.” 

Niall kickup’d to his feet, flipping the stake in his hand, sad that it felt so right there. All of it felt right. “That’s why I’m here.” 

“To do what? Die like the pretty boy before you did? Why can’t we get any of the girl ones?” The vampire lunged and Niall just barely missed, ducking to one side and spinning around to keep his back protected. Pretty boy slayer...that had to be Zayn. It made Niall’s heart ache to think of his dead friend, but he could focus on that later. 

“Because you don’t deserve them,” he said flipping his stake to the other hand, ready for another attack. “The girls go to the vampires of worth. Sorry mate, you’re just second string.” He saw that the comment hit home and the now irate vampire lunged, but missed and Niall was ready, bringing the stake into his back and watching him dust before he even hit the ground. 

Niall dusted off his jeans and pocketed the stake before he heard the slow clap behind him. He turned, though he knew it would be Louis, in just a tank top and a pair of too tight jeans. Niall was never sure why the council hadn’t fired him for his looks alone. Most of the time even Bressie tried to look like a respectable human being. 

“Look who showed up.” 

“You keep stealing my lines, mate,” Niall said, but didn’t smile with it. “I got your message. There’s work to be done here.” 

“And you’re not second string.” 

“I know that.” 

Louis shook his head. “No, you don’t. You don’t have any idea. Maybe, if you show up and listen, I can show you, but trust me Nailler, you’re not the back up.” He tucked his hands in his back pockets, rocking on his feet, looking at Niall. “Hungry?” 

Niall considered it, really did, then nodded. “Yeah, sure.” He was always hungry after slaying. Always. 

“There’s an all night kabob place two blocks from my house. Not the best, but well enough and their chips are out of this world.” Louis wouldn’t apologize, but Niall could see the peace offering for what it was. 

“Well, can’t pass up good chips.” He hefted his bag on his shoulder then waved at Louis. “Lead the way.”


	4. Chapter 4

The balance between slaying, studying, and trying to have a life seemed to fall into place quicker than Niall expected. Sure, Liam still gave him weird looks when he headed out at night and didn’t come back until morning, but he’d stopped being curious and more knowing. Niall didn’t have the heart to tell him that he wasn’t sleeping somewhere fun, just in the spare room at Louis’ house. 

Of course, there were worse places to crash than Louis’ house.

Bressie had a little cottage, tucked at the back end of someone else’s property with rolling Irish hills as a backdrop, but Louis had an actual place, a row house in a line of them that were all older than the surrounding buildings, but his was meticulously restored. Given the way that Louis tended to leave his Vans and teacups everywhere, Niall had a guess it wasn’t his doing. The bed in the guest room that had become his was soft, comfortable in the kind of way that things weren’t anymore. 

Louis had a study, walls of books, something that was ages older than he was, but then again, Niall wasn’t entirely sure how old Louis was either. Sometimes he seemed a few years older than Niall, other times he seemed much older than that. It was hard to tell, but Niall didn’t ask questions. It wasn’t like with Bressie. In the mornings, Niall and Bressie used to chat over coffee and tea, but not with Louis. Half the time he wasn’t even awake when Niall left in the mornings, just asleep on the couch in his study, one arm flung over his eyes, or curled in a ball.

Niall wanted to be close with him, but there were too many walls up for him to even start to get there. It was harder to do the job alone, but if Louis wasn’t going to take down those walls, Niall wasn’t sure how to breach them. 

“Hey, what’s a… you’re yawning.” 

Niall covered the yawn as best he could, shaking his head and blinking up at Harry, who’d bent down so he could see him better. Class hadn’t started yet and it was the one thing that Niall wasn’t missing, too set on seeing Harry even if he couldn’t have the university life he really wanted, he wasn’t going to give up his crush. “Just didn’t sleep well.” 

Harry wasn’t blinking, eyes focused on Niall’s face enough that it made heat rise in Niall’s cheeks. “You’ve got circles under your eyes.” He moved to sit in the desk next to Niall, concern standing out against his pale skin. “Are you feeling alright?” 

“Yeah,” Niall said right away, one hand going out to Harry even if it stopped before reaching him. “Fine. Just tired. Promise.” 

Harry didn’t seem to believe him right away, but after a moment he nodded, fingers brushing against Niall’s hand. “Just take care of yourself, alright?” 

Niall nodded himself, not sure what else to say. What else could he say? 

\------

Another long day after a long night and Niall was relieved to find his dorm room empty. Liam was tops, he really was, but Niall liked that he could faceplant into his bed without anyone bothering him. Louis had declared it a ‘night off’ after Niall had come back with cuts and bruises that were mostly healed by now, but worse than usual. Niall knew he had a paper to work on, but sleep sounded way more appealing. Maybe just a short nap. 

He’d just drifted off when the door opened, voices and giggles, enough to make him open one eye. Liam, but he was with his little group of girls, the ones from the Student Union pub. Niall guessed his roommate spent more time with them than he let on, half waving with one sleepy hand when Liam did a double take at the sight of him. 

“You’re here!” 

Niall made a noise that was close to a ‘yes’, which might have been more a grunt, but was at least an acknowledgement of him, in fact, being there. 

“Liam said you’d be at your boyfriend’s,” one of the girls said, already headed over to Niall, climbing up on the bed to sit on her knees next to him and poke at his side. Blonde hair...Perrie maybe? 

Niall grunted again and waved at her hand, getting a giggle in return. “Not m’boyfriend.” 

“No?” That was Liam, who was digging in his wardrobe and pulling out a shirt, just to have one of the other girls shake her head. 

“No,” Niall jumped when Perrie poked him again, catching her hand and sitting up more, blinking them all into focus more. “He’s just Louis… You’re all dressed up.” 

Liam pulled out a shirt and got a nod from one of the girls, Jade maybe, then pulled off his t-shirt. “Going out,” he said as he switched shirts. “It’s Ladies’ Night.” 

“Li,” Niall murmured, still rubbing at his face and trying to figure out why Perrie had shifted so she was leaning against him. “You’re not a lady.” 

That made Perrie and two of the other girls laugh and Liam blush. “We promised to pay his cover,” Jade said. “If he plays our protector.” 

“You should come too, Niall,” Perrie said, smiling. “Unless _Louis_ wants to see you tonight.” 

Niall made a grumbling noise then shook his head. “No to Louis and no to going Ladies’ Night.” 

There was a chorus of protests, four girls and a Liam and then suddenly Jade had one of Niall’s shirts, holding it out to him while Perry pouted. “Please?” Perrie asked, holding on to his arm, and Niall sighed heavily. He could go another few hours without sleep right? This was the point of university anyway, wasn’t it? He grumbled as he changed his shirt, but got a cheer out of the girls and Liam, which almost felt like enough. 

The pub was crowded, mostly girls with a few brave guys wanting to dare a night of pop music and pink fruity drinks on special, but the cluster of girls kept Niall protected and, despite the crowd, no one pushed into their space. After a pint or so, he looked over at Perrie, laughing as she swayed with the music, humming over the pink drink in her hand. “So you lot are always together, hmm?” 

She grinned then nodded, gesturing at her friends. “We’re a sorority.” 

Niall made a face, setting down his pint. “Sororities are an American uni thing.” 

Perrie giggled and nodded, smiling brightly at him. “That’s why we did it.” 

Leigh Anne leaned in, joining the conversation. “We wanted a group so we could use one of the on campus houses, so we started this club. We had to have a purpose, so we decided this worked best.” 

“You gonna let Liam in now?” The whole thing was a bit odd, but Niall wasn’t one to judge. He spent his nights killing vampires. Who cared about a random club a bunch of girls put together so they could live together? Jade looked at Liam and smiled, patting his arm. 

“Maybe. He’d make a good addition.” 

“But I’m not a girl,” Liam supplied. 

Leigh Anne shrugged. “That’s not exactly a requirement.” 

“Might have to rethink your name then,” Niall said, going back to his beer. “Gay or not, he’s still a guy.” 

“What?!” Liam jolted, face scarlet and terrified. 

“You didn’t think I knew?” Niall said, looking at Liam, then the girls. 

“I didn’t say anything!” 

“Gay knows gay, Li,” Niall said, making Leigh Anne laugh. “You’re the one going about assuming I’ve got a boyfriend.” 

“You’re never home! And I saw his name on your phone!” Liam backtracked until Niall laughed and waved him away. 

“S’fine, mate. Just no boyfriend. Louis is just a friend. He’s helping me with some work for classes.” 

“What about that crush?” Perrie said, nodding across the bar where none other than Harry was chatting up an older bloke with crazy hair, his hand on Harry’s thigh higher than was probably appropriate for public. Niall felt his heart rate jump, his breath intake and he swore he saw Harry cock his head to the side, look up and around, but not finding something to land his eyes on before turning back to his date. 

“Still there,” Niall breathed, feeling Perrie press in close to him, resting her head on his shoulder. He wondered what he’d done to make her so comfortable around him, but he didn’t quite mind the contact. It was nice to have a friend. 

She mumbled something under her breath then looked up at him. “How about another drink?” Niall looked down to realize his glass was empty and nodded. “I’ll get the next round.” 

\-------

There’d been a few more drinks and Niall was pretty sure someone (himself) had ordered shots. He’d done two of those and was feeling warm all over, but when Liam and his girls wanted to go dancing he pulled away. A slightly crowded Uni pub was one thing, but a club with bodies pressed close? He was pretty sure he couldn’t handle that. His claustrophobia had only gotten worse when he trained to be a slayer. He shook them off with laughter and smile, promises to see the girls again and that they should take care of Liam. He watched them go and took a step back towards his room before someone grabbed his arm, dragging him into a dark alley. 

His hand was on the knife he kept on him, it was half in the air when he was pinned against the alley wall. There was a sinking moment where he realized the knife would do little against a vampire. He should have had a stake, but he hadn’t wanted to grab one with the girls watching him change. He was ready to kick, to scream, right until he realized who had him. 

Dark curls cut off the light from the street, but Niall didn’t care. He slipped the knife back where he kept it, looking up at Harry whose eyes seemed hooded, sleepy almost. “You’re trouble,” Harry drawled and Niall couldn’t help but quirk a smile, fingers reaching out to hook in Harry’s shirt. He’d just seen the man with someone else, but he was here now, and that was what mattered right? Niall was drunk enough to rationalize it. 

“Why’s that?” 

Harry ran a long finger over Niall’s cheek and smiled slowly. “Because you just don’t give up. Because you’re always there, even when I don’t need you to be.” 

“My mum calls it stubborn.” 

“I call it determined.” Harry sighed and shook his head, but didn’t move back far. “You’re bad news.” 

“But so good,” Niall slurred, pulling Harry back to him, flush against his chest. “Worth it.” His mind registered that the line was horrible, but Harry went with it, smiling more and tilting his chin up so Niall was staring up into green eyes. 

“So you say…” 

The air around them was hot despite the fact that Harry’s fingers were cool. It made Niall’s head swim and he was sure that wasn’t just from being drunk. Harry was taller, but not that much. He was close enough for Niall to push up to kiss him, and before the thought registered he’d already done it, a sloppy press of mouth against mouth. 

It was awkward, the kind of kiss that was more teeth and chins clashing than lips touching, and just as Niall pulled back, a strong arm hooked against his lower back and kept him there. Harry caught his cheek and tilted his mouth just right and suddenly the awkward kiss went from accidental to perfect. 

Harry kissed like he talked, a slow and thorough. While Niall felt hot and rushed, spurred on by alcohol and a need that he couldn’t explain, Harry took his time. He kissed Niall with a patient ease, tongue swiping into his mouth with an efficiency that made Niall moan, knees going weak. His fingers tightened in Harry’s shirt, pulling him closer, until Niall’s back was pressed against the alley wall. Harry tasted sweet, like rum and mint, and it was a flavor that shouldn’t have been good, but Niall didn’t think he’d ever forget it.

All too soon Harry was pulling away, and despite the fact that Niall chased his lips, an oddly strong arm kept Niall at bay. “See what I mean?” Harry mumbled. “I was trying to avoid that.” 

“Dunno why,” Niall breathed, letting his head fall back against the wall. “I want to do that for the rest of my life.” 

Harry huffed a laugh and nodded. “Me too. Eternity even.” 

Niall took that as an invitation if there ever was one and tugged at Harry’s shirt trying to get him closer again. “Then let’s start now. See how long we can go before we need to stop and eat.” Niall was sure that line would work as well as the others, but for once it didn’t. 

Harry pulled back and shook his head, slipping out of Niall’s grip with an ease he shouldn’t have had. “I shouldn’t...I shouldn’t have.” He smiled weakly then took another step back. 

Niall pushed off the wall, reaching for Harry. He couldn’t let him go, not now. He knew how good it could be and losing it would be too much. “Don’t do that. I don’t care.” 

For a moment Harry went back with him, crowding into his space again, but he didn’t stay. “But I do. It’s more than...it’s just not right.” He reached for Niall’s hand, pulling him close still. “Let me walk you home. You’re drunk.” 

“If you’re worried about taking advantage of me, I’m not that drunk,” Niall insisted, pushing up on his toes again to kiss Harry, mostly getting jaw and hair. Harry tilted his head into it though, humming softly, which just spurred Niall on for more, kissing down his neck until Harry stepped completely away. Their hands were still linked but with a strength he shouldn’t have, Harry kept them apart. 

“Even if you weren’t, taking you in a back alley is doing you a disservice.” 

That was enough to make Niall feel warm all over, smiling at Harry and slipping in close to him. “Then take me home with you,” he murmured, watching the way Harry’s smile tilted upwards. 

“Next time.”


	5. Chapter 5

The hangover the morning after his night out was nothing compared to the sick feeling in Niall’s stomach when he headed for his class with Harry that week. He remembered most of the night, things coming in flashes and bits and pieces, but he knew he remembered Harry. The alley way, those horrid lines, the kiss. 

The second kiss. 

He felt his stomach turn over again and groaned, hands over his face. He had no idea how he was supposed to even look at Harry. How embarrassing. He’d asked to go home with him. Harry had politely escorted Niall to his dorm, but Niall was pretty sure he’d made enough of a fool of himself without going home with him. He stopped a few doors down from the classroom, banging his head against the wall lightly to build up confidence to finish his walk down the hall. 

Niall fought vampires in his spare time. He was hunting down a coven leader with a freaking direwolf as its pet. He could handle two hours of blushing and a stilted apology. He could do this. He was a _Slayer_. 

It was enough to get him down the hall, but Niall was pretty sure he’d rather be walking into a den of werewolves. Feral werewolves. With rabies. Foaming at the mouth werewolves, hell bent on turning him into one of them.

Niall hesitantly stepped into the class, looking up at Harry, not expecting the smile that the brunette gave him, half shy, half amused. It made Niall’s stomach turn somersaults, that look just for him. He felt his cheeks go warm as he dropped into his usual seat, not able to read Harry’s look completely, but at least it wasn’t one of disgust. If Niall let himself get carried away, he might have thought it was a good thing, but he forced himself not to. 

He was the most focused in the class he’d ever been, trying hard not to look at Harry, to take proper notes, retain the information, but the class was over too soon. Avoiding looking at Harry was one thing, but leaving him was something else entirely and Niall realized when he was, yet again, the last in the room, it was the last thing he wanted to do. 

Harry wasn’t in a rush himself, sitting on the edge of the table and looking at Niall with a smirk that looked like an attempt at coy but landed somewhere closer to cutesy. Niall rubbed the back of his neck, moving closer to Harry, abandoning his bag at his desk. “So, about the other night…” he started, but wasn’t sure where he was going with it. Did he apologize for something he wasn’t sorry about? Was Harry looking at him like that because he planned on laughing at Niall, or was he okay with everything? Niall couldn’t get a read on Harry at all, which was why when Harry hooked his ankle around Niall’s calf to pull him closer, he stumbled forward with wide eyes. 

“What about it?” 

“Tryin’ to decide if I should apologize,” Niall admitted, catching his balance on Harry’s shoulder. 

Harry shook his head. “No, don’t think so.” 

Niall huffed a laugh. “That’s a first. Usually I definitely have something to apologize for after I’ve had that much.” 

Harry was smiling, something that was even better as close as Niall was and shaking his head again, but slowly, so he never took his eyes off Niall’s. “Not a thing.” He bit at his lip for just a moment before smiling again. “I was actually thinking we could…” His eyes dropped to Niall’s mouth and he leaned in just a touch more. 

“Pick up where we left off?” Niall suggested, leaning in himself, like something was pulling him closer, dragging him into Harry’s orbit. Collision course with destruction. With a man everyone warned him not to trust, in a relationship that he couldn’t even begin to maintain, but he was powerless against the gravity. He was in a dangerous freefall he couldn’t stop. 

Harry nodded, still slow, right up until he was capturing Niall’s lips with his own and Niall felt his head spin and he sank into the kiss without hesitation. It was easier than the night in the alley, not hurried or rushed, but as intense as it had been then. Harry swept the air out of Niall’s lungs when he deepened the kiss, tongue probing farther, making Niall’s head spin. Niall’s hands wound up in Harry’s hair, twisting in the curls and he kissed Harry like it was everything. And maybe it was. 

He didn’t pull back until he was close to passing out, nipping at Harry’s lower lip with a playful smirk before looking up at him. “Not doin’ a good job of avoiding it, are ya?” he asked, accent thicker with his breath as short as it was. 

Harry laughed though, shaking his hair so his curls brushed against Niall’s cheeks. “I couldn’t stop even if I wanted to.” He shifted closer, lips brushing against Niall’s earlobe before he spoke again. “And I definitely don’t want to.” 

\-------

And it went on like that. Things weren’t really different. Harry still told terrible jokes, the kind that Niall couldn’t help but laugh at. Niall still waited until the end of classes to walk out with him, but now it included stealing kisses before they left the room. They always saw each other more, not just the once a week at classes. Niall was still slaying, but when he had spare moments he was finding Harry at the library or the coffee shop that was always open late. Harry only ever had time to meet at night, but that worked fine for Niall. During the day he was in class or napping, so it didn’t bother him. Harry was probably doing the same. 

Niall wondered what they were, but only on occasion. The rest of his life was too busy to focus on more than the next time he’d get to kiss Harry and how not to die while trying to chase down a coven of vampires, who seemed oddly more organized than usual. Louis was sure they were playing games with them, drawing Niall in one direction when they were really up to something else. Niall wasn’t sure how much of that was real and how much of it was conspiracy theories concocted from too much tea and Red Bull, but he was still taking Louis’ lead on that. Just so long as he had time for stolen moments with Harry and the vampires were still getting dusted, Niall really didn’t care what they were up to. 

“You should come back to mine after class,” Harry mumbled in his ear, leaning over the back of Niall’s chair like he was explaining how to do the work and not setting every one of Niall’s nerve endings on fire. Things had gotten heated lately, deeper kisses, hands searching for more, but Harry had stuck to public or semi-private meet-ups, not once suggesting taking Niall anywhere. 

“Okay.” It came out a little huskier than he would have liked, but Niall could see the way Harry smiled at that, grinning more when Niall reached out to swat at his arse before he walked away. So what if everyone saw? It wasn’t like they were hiding their friendship. 

Class took way too long in Niall’s opinion, but Harry was taking even longer getting ready. It didn’t help that Niall was getting just as distracted, being pulled into kisses, bright smiles and that general grin that Harry always had around him. Eventually though, they were on their way, walking away from campus, close enough to bump shoulders and elbows, and even though Harry’s skin was usually cool, Niall still felt his heat up every time they touched. 

Harry’s building was just off the edge of campus housing, something likely leftover from the Industrial Revolution that had been a warehouse, but was converted. The hallway that Harry led them down wasn’t as spacious as Niall would have thought, and while most of the flats seemed to line the outside of the building, taking advantage of the old thick windows, Harry’s was on the interior, with the only window a skylight at the top, but there were swaths of dark fabric draped under it, which had to block out most if not all of the sunlight. That was interesting, but Niall was too caught up in the rest of the space to think about it. 

The studio style flat was open, a large room with a comfortable-looking couch and arm chair on one side, a kitchen area just behind it, with shining appliances and nice countertops. The other side had Harry’s bed, just a plain frame with an unmade pile of duvets, photos and fairy lights hung over it. Niall drifted that way, leaving his bag by the door, eyes caught by the collection of black and white photos tacked over the bed. 

They were a random collection, some of food, some of them places or things, all seemingly random. Some were people, though they were never looking at the camera. One or two seemed to be Harry, but not all of him, and not his face. Just hands with the right tattoos, shoes that Niall was sure he’d seen Harry wearing. “You take these?” he asked, looking over at Harry who was perched on the arm of the couch watching him. 

“Some of them,” he said with a shrug and his slow smile, the one that always made Niall smile back at him. 

“And the rest?” Niall took a step closer, not wanting to be so far away from Harry even in the tiny flat. 

“Just things people took in passing that wound up with me.” Harry reached out once Niall was close enough, hands on his hips to pull Niall between his legs. He pushed at the loose t-shirt Niall had on, raising it up over his jeans to kiss at Niall’s stomach. It made Niall’s eyes flutter shut, his breath catch at the sweet press of skin against skin. He wanted to take in the rest of the flat, the overflowing bookcase near the couch, the lack of television, the pristine kitchen, but Harry’s mouth was far more important. 

He ran his fingers through Harry’s hair, tugging just slightly to get the brunette to look up at him, flashing a smile when he did. Harry’s long fingers curled in the waistband of Niall’s pants, the look he gave Niall questioning, as if he was waiting for permission. Niall nodded, not sure how to say he wanted everything, just knowing that he did. 

Harry seemed to understand though, his mouth back on Niall’s skin, warm laps of his tongue, drifting lower as he pulled at Niall’s clothes. Niall was so caught up in it, he didn’t even realize that Harry had undone the zip on his jeans until he felt the cool air of the room against his skin and cock. Not that he had much time to feel that before Harry had his hand on him with a pleased hum that Niall felt against his hipbone rather than heard. 

Niall’s breath caught in his throat with the first stroke, fingers gripping at Harry’s hair again. He groaned when Harry went again, seeming to start up a rhythm, knowing they’d fallen into it so quickly, but fuck if it didn’t feel right. The past few weeks had been more than enough build up in Niall’s opinion. He wanted to get to this point and never go back. His hips jumped, but Harry just nipped at the bone before shifting to lap at the head of Niall’s cock. Niall swore and felt his knees give slightly, but Harry was there, one arm wrapped around the back of his thighs that was doing wonders for keeping him upright. 

Just like with the way Harry kissed, he took his time with this too, slowly sucking down more, only to pull off and lick stripes over the sensitive skin. It was an alternating heat and tease that made Niall’s head spin warmth of his orgasm, pooling low in his stomach. He groaned, teetering on the edge he couldn’t get over, not with the back and forth. 

“Haz,” he groaned, pulling at Harry’s hair, trying to get him do something, something more. He couldn’t see it, not with the mess of curls in the way, but Niall was sure he felt Harry smile around him. 

“Hmm,” Harry asked, or maybe just hummed again, but he’d pulled off enough to do it and Niall was taking it as a question. 

“More,” he begged softly, needing it, needing the release. His hips jumped again, but the somehow Harry held him in place. “Please, Haz.” Okay, that was a whine, probably not sexy at all, but Harry went with it, taking Niall down more than before, enough that it made him gasp and his eyes go wide. When his hips bucked this time, Harry wasn’t holding him in place and Niall was able to fuck further into his mouth with a low moan. The pace was suddenly faster and, with little to no warning, Niall came, back curling and eyes squeezed shut. 

It took a moment to come back down, for Harry to pull off, but Harry’s hand was there, rubbing small circles into Niall’s lower back, looking more than pleased with himself, lips swollen from the act. Niall ducked his head, pulling Harry up to kiss him, but the movement was too quick and Harry tumbled back onto the couch, pulling Niall with him. 

Niall kissed whatever part of Harry he could reach, his chin, his cheeks, his mouth, god that mouth, sucking on his lower lip until Harry’s hips canted up, pressing the hard line of the bulge in his skinny jeans against Niall’s thigh. The friction made Harry moan, grinding up again and Niall just grinned. He snaked a hand between them, palming Harry’s dick in his pants and watching for the reaction. When the other man’s back arched Niall rubbed harder, kissing at Harry’s neck, sucking a mark there. 

Harry was hard, clearly close, something that thrilled Niall considering all he’d done was suck Niall off and it was enough for that. He wanted to get his hand on Harry’s dick, but with the way he was moaning and moving his hand up into the attention, he didn’t want to slow down. And when Harry came it was glorious, vocal and beautiful. Niall was pretty sure it was the greatest thing he’d ever seen. 

For a long few moments all Niall could do was lay against Harry, panting to catch his breath, to trying to calm his racing heart. Harry’s hand wound up in his hair, stroking it gently, not pushing out of the tangled mess of half on and half off clothes they were in. 

“Sort of thought we’d’ve made it to the bed,” Harry finally mumbled, a giggle slipping out as he buried his face in Niall’s hair. It made Niall laugh too, trying to shift so he was more next to Harry, which really only resulted in toppling off the side of the couch and landing on the floor. It was embarrassing, sure, but it just made him laugh more, looking up at Harry’s surprised face before pulling him down for a kiss. 

“Might be less hazardous for the next round,” he murmured against Harry’s lips, grinning more when Harry climbed off the couch to straddle Niall’s hips. 

“What makes you think you’re getting a second round?” Harry had that look that was clearly going for coy, but looked too damn charming to be anything but attractive, one hand on either side of Niall’s head. 

“I can do better than rubbing you off in your pants,” Niall insisted, and earned a kiss for his efforts. 

“I like to think rubbing me off in my pants is a good thing, not a bad one.” 

Niall laughed again, resting his hands on Harry’s hips, tracing circles on them with his thumbs. “I’d still like to take you to bed. Properly.” 

Harry smiled at that, leaning back and then getting up in a simple, fluid motion. “Ever the gentleman.” He held out a hand for Niall, pulling him up off the floor. They stumbled towards the bed, discarding unnecessary clothes as they went, falling into the pile of blankets and pillows as a heap of arms and legs. They sorted themselves out though, Niall pulling Harry close until his back was pressed against Niall’s chest, their arms and legs tangled together. Niall pressed a line of kisses against Harry’s shoulder, and could feel the way Harry hid his smile against Niall’s arm that he had his head on. 

“I wanna stay,” Niall whispered, closing his eyes. It was dim in the room, only the fairy lights over their heads casting any light, but he still wasn’t sure he could look at Harry if Harry said no. 

Harry was quiet for a long while before nodding, squeezing Niall’s fingers. “You should.” Niall nodded and fell asleep with a smile on his face. 

\-------------

It was easy to ignore everything with Harry pressed so close, with his curls brushing against Niall’s cheek, but Louis Tomlinson was not one to be ignored. Niall’s phone started buzzing a few hours after he and Harry had crashed, then, when the texts were ignored, it started ringing. By the third ring, Niall was groaning, dragging himself out of the bed to dig it out of his jeans. “Wha?” he mumbled. 

“You have a problem,” Louis said, skipping the greeting and taunting. Niall looked back at where Harry was still sleeping or at least pretending to be, bedsheet down low enough that the butterfly tattooed on his stomach was visible. He was pretty sure he had a big problem, but Niall assumed that wasn’t what Louis meant. “Check your messages. And get out there,” Louis instructed before ringing off. 

He flipped to the texts, eyes going wide at the photo Louis had sent him. Apparently, when he’d not answered, Louis had taken it upon himself to head over to Niall’s dorm room and found a message left for him. 

The knife was a little too on point, but it definitely served its purpose. It had been jabbed in his door, holding up a scrawling note. 

_I know what you are._

_I know you’re looking for me._

That wasn’t much of a message, but it was enough of a warning. Louis’ text said he’d taken it down, but that didn’t make Niall’s concern any less. If they knew where he lived, they knew where Liam lived, which meant his friend was in danger. Niall scrambled for his jeans, dragging them on as he punch the button to call Liam. 

“Liam’s phone!” The voice sounded like Jesy and Niall let out a quick sigh.

“Tell me he’s with you,” Niall demanded, picking through the shirts on the floor, not sure which was his and which was Harry’s, but going with the first and pulling it on. 

“Of course. I have his phone right?” Jesy said, but he could hear her moving. “Everything okay?” she asked, voice more serious than it had been seconds before. 

“Yeah,” Niall said, silently cursing himself for sounding so upset. It was just going to make Liam and his friends worry. “Can you just...make sure he stays with you tonight?” 

Jesy made a noise that sounded curious more than concerned. “You want me to have Liam sleep on our couch sooo why? Is it to do with this Lou character?” 

Niall shook his head even though she couldn’t see it. “I told you that’s not a thing. Just...someone else.” 

 

He glanced back at Harry, who was sitting up now, curls a mess, making him look like a sleepy lion. 

Jesy, thankfully, took the bait and laughed. “I’ll let him know he’s been sexiled and keep him here.” 

“Thanks, pet,” Niall said before hanging up and going back to Harry. 

“You’re dressed,” Harry mumbled with a frown, tugging at Niall’s shirt. “This is mine.” 

Niall looked down at the shirt, frowning, but Harry was right. It was way too long to be his. He started to pull at it, intending to grab the other but Harry shook his head. “Leave it. I like it.” 

That made Niall’s stomach flip, causing him to lean in and kiss Harry softly. “I gotta go.” 

Harry just nodded. “I figured.” He sighed and touched Niall’s cheek for a moment. “Everything okay?” 

No, nothing was okay. Whatever Niall was after knew where he lived and Liam was in danger, but Niall didn’t know how to say that without telling Harry everything. He nodded gently, not saying anything so he wouldn’t have to outright lie. “I just gotta go.” He kissed Harry again, hesitating before pulling back, grabbing his things and moving as quickly as he could. He only looked back once, from the door, wanting to remember the sight of Harry half naked with his knees pulled up, waving at him. 

Once he was out the door, there was another text from Louis. 

**Meet you by the quad. Hope you’re armed.**

When was Niall not armed? He slipped the stake from his bag, flipping it in his hand once before setting off to meet Louis.


	6. Chapter 6

“You know, you’re getting slow,” Louis said when Niall picked up after taking out another vampire who knew nothing. 

“I’m not going to keep training while you watch,” Niall shot back. “It’s completely unfair of you to eat a burger while I work out.” He put his stake back, then looked around. “How can you even see me?” 

Louis made a tutting noise, like he was offended even if it was something he’d done last week. “I meant the part where you’re not actually sleeping when you go to bed.” 

“You don’t know any such thing,” Niall insisted, turning red and relieved it was dark and there was no one there to see it. “And you didn’t answer my question.” 

“Like I can’t tell your ‘I’m tired from fighting vampires’ face from your ‘I’m tired because I got laid’ face. Seriously. Do you think I’m an amature?” Louis laughed, mostly to himself. “I’m all seeing. Watcher, remember?” 

Niall looked up, mostly to roll his eyes, but he spotted something over his head. “You hacked the campus security cameras, didn’t you?” 

“Of course I did. Do you know how much time your roommate spends at the gym?” 

“No, but I’m guessing you do,” Niall said, making sure he had everything before shaking his head and heading back towards Harry’s flat. 

“I do. Because I was looking for you and I kept finding him. Someone should stage an intervention or something.” 

“Louis, how did keeping an eye on me turn into perving on my roommate’s workout habits?” 

Louis huffed a noise. “Whatever. You’re the one that keeps moving out of range. Who is this new guy?” 

Niall flushed again and shook his head even though Louis couldn’t see it. “I’m not ready to tell you about him yet.” 

Louis’ eyeroll was in his voice. “Whatever.” Then the line went dead. 

Niall picked up his pace, more than pleased to find Harry waiting for him and something delicious smelling coming from his flat. “Please tell me that’s for me,” he said, leaning up to kiss Harry who just grinned and nodded. 

“Of course it is. You’re the one that’s always hungry.” Harry took Niall’s coat and bag, and didn’t stop him from wandering over to the kitchen portion of the flat to see what it was. 

“You didn’t have to make me anything,” he said, after peeking at the significant spread. 

Harry just shrugged. “I like to cook. It’s nice to have someone to cook for.” He ran his fingers through the hair on the back of Niall’s neck before moving past him and started to pile food onto a plate. 

Niall took up a seat at the little breakfast bar that doubled as Harry’s table and grinned when he was presented with a dinner that hopefully tasted as good as it looked. “Where’s yours?” he asked, fork poised to tuck in, frowning at the way Harry was just leaning against the counter opposite Niall. 

Harry waved a hand and shook his head. “I ate earlier. You go on. I can tell you’re starved.” 

Niall hesitated for a moment before nodding and shoveling the first bite into his mouth. Just as expected, it was delicious. “I’ve found a boyfriend that’s good in bed and can cook,” he said, mouth still half full. “I think I’m dreaming.” 

Harry raised an eyebrow, leaning on the counter across from Niall. “Boyfriend?” 

“Err.” Niall hadn’t brought that up yet, that his head had already adopted the term, but he knew better than to say it. Or thought he knew better. Apparently he didn’t. “You don’t…” He started, but Harry was already shaking his head, moving closer to lean in and kiss him. 

“I like it.” 

Niall let out a breath he didn’t even realized he was holding. “Yeah?” 

Harry nodded. “Yeah. Eat up.” He paused, his smirk giving away the faked dramatic effect. “Boyfriend.” 

“You’re ridiculous,” Niall said shaking his head, but grinning with it. 

“And you love it,” Harry countered, smile wide and weird as ever. Niall couldn’t even deny it, of course he did. 

He might have been starving, but Harry was far more appealing in that moment and he abandoned his food to kiss him instead. “I thought you were eating,” Harry asked between kisses, but didn’t push Niall away. 

“I can eat later,” Niall murmured. It earned him a quiet chuckle from Harry, but more importantly, Harry tugged him towards the bed. 

Clothes fell off in an easy habit they’d gotten into, Niall working the last remaining buttons on Harry’s shirt before it fell off his shoulder, then his own shirt going over his head, jeans going in the same way. By the time they fell back against the bed, Niall’s hand was already in Harry’s pants, fisted around him, kissing at Harry’s neck when his head fell back with a low moan. He got a few strokes in before Harry pushed up, rolling Niall back grinning down at him. Harry’s hands ran up the inside of Niall’s thighs, touching him everywhere, pulling at his pants and Niall let his eyes fall shut, enjoying the ride. 

He didn’t hear the click of the lube top, but felt the cool dampness between his legs as Harry’s fingers pressed against him, making him shudder. He opened his eyes to see Harry leaning over his stomach, kissing the skin there before looking up. “Can I?” he asked, eyes hooded, want clear. 

Niall nodded, biting at his lip before shifting his hips up to give Harry better access. Harry kissed his stomach again before pushing forward, slow at first, but enough to make Niall cry out. His life didn’t lead to options like what he had with Harry. He’d had some, but never the slow commitment that Harry was giving to fingering him open, smooth strokes and probing fingers. Every time the burn was more than pleasure, Harry’s mouth was on his hip, his cock, anywhere to distract. And just when it was all too much, Harry’s fingers brushed just the right way and Niall saw sparks of light. His fingers gripped the duvet as he cried out again, one leg hooking around Harry before he even realized he was doing it. 

“Haz…” It was barely a gasp, but Harry was there, pressing soothing kisses along his collarbone, then his jaw, humming out sweet nothings. He eventually was whispering in Niall’s ear, fingers still probing, stroking, pressing right where Niall wanted, where he needed them to be. 

“C’mon, babe.” Harry’s words were half instruction, half reassurance, but it was all Niall needed before he was gasping, the warmth pooled in his abdomen spilling over. He came with another shout, fingers tangled in Harry’s curls as he rocked, riding out the high before slowly sinking against the mattress. 

It took a moment to get his bearings, but Niall eventually opened his eyes to Harry looking down at him, soft smile despite his hard length pressed against Niall’s thigh. “You’re perfect like that,” Harry murmured, but it tapered off to a groan when Niall got his hand around him again. He wanted to do more, but the way Harry pressed his face against Niall’s neck was too wonderful to make him move, not when he was making the most perfect sounds, vibrating against Niall’s skin as much as his eardrums. 

When he came, his body went tight, face pressed closer in a silent moan before Harry finally shuddered, spilling into Niall’s hand. When the waves passed, he went boneless against Niall, arms wrapped around him, leg thrown over. They were sticky, but Niall didn’t want to move any more than Harry seemed interested in. He ran his fingers through Harry’s curls, humming softly to himself. 

“I’m mad at you,” Harry said after a moment, though his smile was clear in his voice. Niall leaned back enough to see him, confusion on his face. 

“What? Why?” 

“I made you a nice dinner and you abandoned it for sex,” Harry said, barely able to keep his laughter at bay. “And here I thought you’d be impressed.” 

Niall didn’t hold his laughter back, falling against the bed again with it and shaking his head. “This was just me showing my appreciation,” he said, grinning at his _boyfriend_. 

Harry, still biting a lip to keep his own grin in check, considered that for a moment before nodding. “Alright. I’ll let you get away with it just this once.” 

Niall arched an eyebrow, pushing at Harry enough to roll them over again. “Just once?” 

Harry laughed again and Niall kissed the smile away, feeling happy for the first time since Zayn had died. 

\-----

“Do you not sleep?” Niall groaned into the phone when he answered it, already untangling himself from Harry’s arms and reaching for his pants. Louis knew where he was. He’d only call if it was an emergency. 

“I think I see him,” Louis shouted. “I’ve got the feed up for the west end of campus. He’s...there’s a bunch of them. And something else. They’re not really in the line of the cameras. It’s like they know where they are. But there’s at least five of them. Niall, now. You need to go. They’re following someone, it’s clear they’re tracking.” 

“Moving. Text me where I’m going.” Niall hung up and grabbed his clothes, yanking them on before leaning across the bed to kiss a sleepy Harry. 

“Everything alright, love?” Harry asked. 

_No. Not even close_. Niall still nodded. “Yeah, ‘course. I’ll be back soon. Go back to sleep.” 

Harry nodded sleepily, rolling over again as Niall grabbed his bag and hurried out the door. Once it was shut behind him he broke into a run, checking his phone long enough to see exactly where he was going. It wasn’t far, but he was barely halfway there when the phone rang again. 

“Can’t run any faster,” Niall said, skidding as he turned a corner and his converse didn’t hold the traction he wanted.

“They’ve got Liam.” 

Niall didn’t even wait for more. He hung up and ran faster.


	7. Chapter 7

He skidded to a stop, hearing them before he saw them, turning the corner slowly. They had Liam held tight between two vampires and, while Liam was strong, he was no match for them. Two others were pacing, looking like they were anxious and ready for a fight, and the last, he was standing in the middle of it all, some sort of drooling, snarling dog on a leash next to him. 

“Hiding when I can smell you, Slayer, is pointless,” the one with the dog said, voice low and cunning, like he had nothing to be afraid of. Niall gripped the stake in his hand, then turned the corner, facing the man full on. 

“Niall, run,” Liam called, trying to wrench his arms free again, but it didn’t get him anywhere. 

“It’s fine, Li,” Niall said, holding his hand out, hoping Liam got the message to stay still. Nothing would work if Liam was panicking. “What do you want?” he asked the vampire, whose dog growled and snapped the moment Niall’s attention was on his owner. 

“ _Run Niall! Oh no!_.” The vampire mocked Liam’s voice as his face shifted to something ugly, showing his true nature, fangs gleaming in the dim street lamps. “You’ll wish you’d run,” he snarled. “Get him.” 

The two spare vampires approached first, circling Niall as he turned, stake in one hand, trying to keep an eye on both of them. The first was a girl, dark skin, lean muscles, probably some sort of athlete before being turned. The other guy was a tried and true beefcake, only the kind that skipped leg day more than he should. Beefcake lunged first and Niall ducked, sweeping his leg out and catching beefy off guard. 

It was enough for the big vampire to stumble, and Niall popped up again with his stake, plunging it home and yanking it back before the vampire fully turned to dust. Sporty Spice leapt before he had a chance to turn, on his back and trying to wrap her arms around him in a choke hold. Niall turned, trying to fight her off, but wound up having to roll her up and off his shoulders, sending her sprawling onto the ground. 

She got her bearings faster than Niall did though and when he went to stake her, she kicked him with both feet in the sternum, sending him flying backwards into a lamp post. He felt the crack in his side, knowing that was definitely a rib that didn’t agree with the dent he’d left in the post. Still, when she lunged again he threw, watching the stake spiral before hitting home and she turned to dust less than two feet in front of him. 

Everything hurt, but before someone else could move on him, Niall pushed to his feet, throwing his stake at the vampire holding Liam’s left arm, watching it sink home. Liam tried to yank his arm back from the vampire that was still there, but didn’t get anywhere. At least not until Niall fired off a roundhouse kick that caught the vampire in the jaw. 

The kick didn’t stop it, but it did distract it enough for Liam to wrench his arm free when the vampire turned on Niall. Just like the large one, he fought like a brawler, but with better speed. “Run, Liam!” He barely managed to finish the shout before the vampire got a few punches in, but Niall knew better than to try and match someone punch for punch. Slayer or not, he was too small for that. He ducked the next parry, sweeping low with his leg and successfully upending the vampire. 

“Niall!” 

Niall only glanced at Liam once, but was more than pleased to see his roommate ready to throw the stake his way. It was a swift movement, catch to stab, dust pooling under him. Bressie had taught him that one, comparing it to a baseball double play, which Niall had never understood, but he was glad for the help from his roommate now. “Li...Aragh!” 

Before Niall could give instructions, tell his roommate to leave again, anything, sharp teeth ripped into his side, tearing a fabric and flesh, making Niall’s vision go white with pain. Someone was screaming. Someone was laughing. Something was growling. 

As the jaws that had his side clamped harder, threatening to break more bones, to crush his hips into dust, Niall swung wildly. He only had the stake, hadn’t brought another weapon, not when he was at Harry’s. It was too hard to explain. But he couldn’t stake a dog. That wouldn’t work. 

He beat at the creature’s head, trying to throw off its bite, loosen the grip. It felt futile, the most damage he could manage making its teeth scrape down his side causing pain to threaten his consciousness. Niall swung again, mostly blind, but felt the stake finally connect with something softer than matted hair and steel bone. The beast howled, yanking its face back and swiping at its eye, snarling and snapping at the stake it couldn’t reach. 

Hands were on Niall pulling him back, up to his feet. “We need to…” 

“We need to run,” Niall finished for Liam, letting himself get yanked up, but his legs buckled. Pain seared down his side, making it hard to breathe. “Li, you should…” He couldn’t finish without groaning, but Liam had him, looping an arm under Niall and starting them away from the scene. 

The laughter cut through the pain, the agony, the way his vision was swimming. Niall looked up, forcing his eyes to focus. The lead vampire was there still, the wolf or dog thing snarling, stake still sticking ghastly out of its face, but it didn’t seem to be bothered by it. “Run.” The voice alone sent chills down Niall’s spine and he pushed against Liam’s side, getting them moving as quickly as he could. 

\------

Niall leaned hard on the bell at Louis’ row house, which had Liam, still pale from his shock, leaning back to stare up at it. “You know someone who lives here?” 

“Yeah, if the bloody bastard would answer the door.” Niall leaned on the bell again, groaning as it made his side ache more. He could feel the blood sticking to his shirt making him easy to track, but there wasn’t anywhere else to go. His blood was black, and the wound smelled like death and rotting, the same way the dog had smelled. Niall had a bad feeling about it and the fact that he wasn’t healing as quickly as he normally would. 

The door finally flung open, a grouchy looking hedgehog of Louis standing there, hands on his hips for all of two seconds until he realized what the situation was. “Shit, fuck.” 

“Ages of wisdom and you can’t do anything more than swear, eh?” Niall teased, reaching for Louis just as Louis reached for him. 

“Don’t take the piss out when you’re bleeding to death on my stoop.” Louis got an arm under Niall, guiding him inside before finally noticing Liam. “What’s he doing here?” 

“You live here?” Liam asked, obviously confused.

“Of course I do.” 

“Couldn’t just leave him there. Can’t stand, Louis,” Niall pointed out, which thankfully was enough for Louis to grab Liam by the shirt and drag them both indoors. He led them towards the study, setting Niall on the couch there, which was thankfully dark enough to hide the bloodstains. 

“Liam,” Louis said, already kneeling at Niall’s side and pulling at his shirt. “There’s a first aid kit under my desk over there. Be a doll and grab it, yeah?” 

Liam responded well to the order, going and grabbing the kit as Louis helped Niall out of his shirt. “What got you?” He asked, voice hushed. 

“Some sort of dog?” 

“This is not a dog,” Louis corrected, reaching for the gauze as Liam handed it over. Niall hadn’t even noticed his roommate setting up, but he was there at Louis’ elbow, kit open and ready to be used. “You aren’t Batman.” 

“It was huge. And black. It looked part wolf,” Liam supplied when Niall winced at the cleaning solution that Louis was using. 

“Smelled awful,” Niall said, hoping that was useful. Plus, adding to the conversation helped him stay conscious. 

“You’re not healing,” Louis said, frown putting lines in his forehead. 

“You’re bleeding black,” Liam added. 

“Yeah, figured both of those out,” Niall said through gritted teeth, before looking at Louis who’d gone ashen. “What? What is it?” 

“A dog? Like wolf?” Louis said, looking at Liam who nodded. He reached for Liam’s hand, putting it over the wound on Niall’s side. “Hold this.” 

He got up and headed back to his desk, digging around the stack of papers, books and half empty tea mugs. Liam raised an eyebrow in silent question, but Niall just shook his head. 

“Like this?” Louis asked loudly, holding up a book to show a picture. His hand was trembling, but Niall was pretty sure that was what had tried to take a bite of out his side. 

“Yeah,” he said, wincing again. 

“Fuck.” Louis dropped the book then hung his head. “I can’t fix you.” 

“Can someone? Because he’s bleeding a lot.” Liam looked as pale as Louis, concerned as well. 

“It’s fine,” Niall said, trying to be reassuring even as he was bleeding out on the couch.

“Someone. I really don’t want to. Ugh. He can help? Fuck.” Louis dug around on the desk again and produced a phone before dialling a number and walking into another room. 

“Who’s he calling?” Liam asked, but Niall shrugged.

“No idea.” 

“No, I don’t need your bullshit!” Louis shouted from another room before making an annoyed noise and coming back. “Here, let me take that,” he said, pushing Liam out of the way to press at Niall’s wounds. “Nick’s on his way.” 

 

“And who is Nick?” Niall asked, laying his head back as Liam let his line of sight and his vision swam. 

“I do not need your opinion on anything,” Louis quipped, though Niall had no idea why he would have an opinion on this Nick person he didn’t know. Then Louis’ voice softened, more caring than he’d been a few moments before. “Just focus on not dying on me. He’s close.” Niall nodded, focusing on just that, but his head was spinning and he was certain that he wasn’t doing a good job of keeping his blood inside his body, not when it was so determined to leave. 

He wasn’t sure how long it was before the bell was ringing again and Louis was pushing, literally pushing a garishly dressed man in front of him. “This is Nick,” Louis said. “Nick, he got bit by a hellhound. Help him.” 

“A what?” Niall asked, trying to focus, but he was looking at two Louis’ and not sure which one was real. 

“Always just business with you innit?” Nick snipped with a roll of his eyes. “No, how are you Nicholas, missed your face, your shirt looks lovely.” 

“Your shirt is hideous,” Louis interrupted. “And my Slayer is bleeding out on my couch. Get moving.” 

“Aww, you did miss me,” Nick said with a cheeky grin. He had been moving though, looking at the wounds under the gauze leaning in to take a sniff before nodding. “I can’t fully heal it,” he told Louis, giving Niall an apologetic look. “But I can make the bleeding stop and maybe give your body a chance to heal itself.” He dug around in his bag for a minute before pulling out a few containers, each with weirder looking contents than the first. 

“What’s all this?” Niall asked. 

“He’s a hedgewitch,” Louis said behind Nick, arms crossed over his chest, clearly annoyed. 

“Druid. I’m a druid. We’re an ancient order that makes your silly Watchers look like children,” Nick corrected, giving Louis a dirty look before handing him a smaller, incredibly normal looking pill bottle. “Valium. For the boy in shock that’s currently tidying your house.” 

“The what?” Louis asked, then spun, looking for Liam. It was then that Niall noticed all the tea mugs weren’t on Louis’ desk and the papers were already stacked neatly. “Where did he go?” 

“Kitchen,” Nick said, pointing over his shoulder as he started mixing up ingredients. 

Louis stalked that way and, even though he was out of sight, his voice was loud and clear. “Boy! What are you doing? Are you really tidying my kitchen?!?” 

“You must not like him,” Nick said with a chuckle, using a pedestal to make a paste out of his ingredients. 

“Louis? Not really,” Niall admitted. 

“I meant your friend, but that’s fair. No one likes this Louis,” Nick said eyes glancing over his shoulder. ”But your friend is essentially Louis-kryptonite.” 

“ _Liam_? You’re joking. I’d laugh if I wouldn’t lose my spleen.” 

“Your spleen is fine, but your ribs are broken which would make laughing hurt,” Nick said, then smoothed the paste, which was a weird orange color, over the bite mark on Niall’s side, then the claw marks on his back. Instantly it felt better, and Niall’s vision went back to something he could use. He let out a contented sigh, only wincing slightly. “But yes. I’ve known Louis longer than he would let on and I know in the worst kind of way what turns his head and your dear little Liam is exactly the thing.” Nick laughed to himself and Niall wondered if he should be in on the joke. “I used to hate the boys like that I saw him talk to.” 

Niall frowned, narrowing his eyes at Nick. “Wait, were you two…” 

Nick was laughing again a bright sound that matched his shirt. _Harry would love that shirt_ , Niall’s mind supplied without his permission. “Before Zayn died, yes. But leggy girls and wide-eyed boys, they were always catching his eye.” Nick pulled out another bottle, unstopping it and sticking in an eyedropper. The liquid inside was a brilliant green, almost glowing. He murmured a few words then dripped the green liquid onto the paste spots. Niall felt it sink into his skin and run through his veins which was more than eerie, but at least the smell of rotting flesh went away. 

Niall closed his eyes and let himself breathe, relaxing into the couch. “What did he say bit me?” 

“A hellhound,” Louis answered and when Niall opened his eyes he saw Niall was pushing an embarrassed looking Liam into the room and sitting him in the chair behind the desk. “It’s what got Zayn.” 

“I told you not to follow it to Ireland,” Nick supplied and Louis shot him a look that could turn fire to ice. 

“I told Zayn not to either, but he was determined to protect that one,” Louis shot back and stuck a finger at Niall.

“What?” Niall shifted so he was sitting up more, but it hurt the wounds, making them ooze, red blood mixing with the orange paste. At least the blood was red again. “Those things were after me?” 

Louis sighed loudly and ran his hands through his hair, making it stick up more than before. Niall saw Liam reach out, like he wanted to fix it, but check his hand before he actually did it. “Yes,” Louis said after a long moment of looking at the ceiling. “The vampire that has it, he’s trying to wipe out the line. He’s got big plans for something...taking over humanity? Whatever, delusions of grandeur.” 

“Of what?” Liam asked and when Louis looked back at him and his furrowed brow, Louis’ whole face changed. 

“Super villain nonsense, love.” Niall hadn’t ever seen Louis look like that or speak like that, but judging by the noise that Nick made, he had. 

“Oh.” Liam bit at his lip for a moment, then nodded, which Louis seemed to take as a cue to continue. 

“So he was after you, before you activated, but Zayn was too…” Louis’s voice went tight, his eyes glassy before he shook his head. “It was too much. And I’d run out of the paste.” 

Nick was already wiping the orange off of Niall’s skin. “I should have gone with you,” he said, voice terse. Blood still flowed from the wounds, but it at least looked better than before. 

Louis made a noise, something close to a harumph, and flung himself into his chair, clearly forgetting he’d sat Liam there moments before. Liam yelped, but still caught Louis before he fell, holding him there in his lap with one arm and trying to awkwardly pat his shoulder with his free hand. Louis sat still for half a second before slumping against Liam, clearly too exhausted to care. “I didn’t want you to get hurt.” 

“Look how well that worked out for all of us,” Nick said before looking at Niall. “I need to stitch half these up,” he said. “Do you want something for the pain?” 

Niall shook his head. “Just do it. Louis, tell me how to find this guy.” 

Louis shook his head, which was more just lolling it back and forth on Liam’s shoulder, face covered by his hands. “Can’t. He just finds us.” 

“Then I’ll be bait. Tell me how to kill it.” 

“You can’t fight it like this,” Nick pointed out, needle poised over Niall’s skin. Fuck, Niall hated needles. He’d thought about a tattoo right up until he got his first wound sewn up and he decided right then that he didn’t like them at all. 

“I can. How do I kill it?” 

“That’s just it!” Louis shouted, scrambling forward. He would have fallen out of Liam’s lap if it weren’t for Liam holding on to him, but he still toppled forward towards the desk. “I’ve looked _everywhere_. I can find out how to ward against them, how to run from them, but nothing about how to kill them.” 

“There has to be something,” Niall insisted. 

“Does there?” Nick questioned, but he was focused on his work. “You're a Slayer and just its bite negated everything. They're supposed to drag souls to hell. They're not supposed to be killed.” 

“Centuries. I've been around for ages and I've never even seen one,” Louis said, elbows propped on the desk with his face in his hands. 

“Wait,” Liam piped in, leaning closer to Louis. “How old are you?” 

Louis looked over his shoulder, grin slipped onto his features. “Old enough, love. Don't fret about that.” 

“Told you,” Nick murmured, just for Niall. 

“Then we need something,” Niall called at Louis, breaking the way he was staring at Niall’s roommates eyes. 

“Yeah. A way to run from it.” Louis’ hand was on Liam’s neck, almost protective. 

“That'll have to do for now.” Niall wanted better, upset that Louis hadn't told him what they were up against, but he didn't say anything else, body and mind too tired to fight. 

\--------

Niall checked the stitches in the mirror of Harry’s bathroom, frowning at the ugly black surrounded by red. Nick might have been a fashionista, but he couldn’t sew for shit. And, even though he’d removed whatever was poisoning him, Niall was still healing like a regular human, which meant stupidly slow. Nick had said it might even scar. He sighed, dropping the shirt before going back into the loft, not sure how he was going to explain a desire to keep his shirt on, but maybe he could claim he was cold. Too bad those hopes were dashed the moment he walked out of the bathroom. 

Harry was starfished across the bed, as naked as ever, humming to himself as he looked up at something on the ceiling. Niall wanted to be upset, but there was no avoiding the way the site alone caused something to stir in him, that endless pool of _want_ he’d waded into and couldn’t find a way out of. Harry was intoxicating, weird tattoos, too long hair, and all. 

Niall didn’t hesitate in crawling over Harry, straddling his hips and leaning down to kiss him. Harry keep humming, but it was a happy tune, the vibration against Niall’s mouth giving him chills. “Hello, you,” Harry finally said when they parted, smiling up at Niall. 

“Hey there.” It was a silly sort of back and forth. Niall had been over for at least an hour, greetings well past appropriate, but there was just something about Harry, something that made even the silliest of moments make pure sense. Just a silly greeting and a disarming smile. 

“I love you.” 

Niall hadn’t meant to say it. He didn’t have a reason for even why he’d said it, other than that sense of right and ease he had around the other man. Part of him wanted to take the words back, flushing bright red with it, but the rest of him was sure of it. There was a reason he’d let it slip so easily. 

Harry’s eyebrow arched, amused smile playing on his lips. “Do you now?” 

Niall rolled his eyes and swatted at Harry’s chest. “Shut up.” 

Harry’s laugh was infectious, against Niall’s mouth as he kissed him again. It tasted as sweet as Harry did, something Niall felt like he could never get tired of. 

“You don’t have to...say it.” Niall was backtracking, but his fingers were in Harry’s hair, kissing him between the words, feeling the smile in Harry’s kiss that matched the one that was making Niall’s cheeks hurt. 

“But I want to,” Harry said before pushing up at Niall and rolling over him. 

It was a move they’d done dozens of times, simple, but too much for the stitches on Niall’s side. He made a noise as they popped, one hand already over his side to press against the bleeding. But the pain, the blood, it was all forgotten when Harry growled. 

Niall’s eyes darted up, wide as they got, seeing the last thing he wanted to see. Fangs, that face, that hunger. _Vampire_. 

Harry clapped a hand over his mouth, falling back, off the bed and back farther, which was the only good thing about the moment, because Niall was frozen in place. “You’re-” 

“Niall, wait.” Harry’s voice was muffled, different with the fangs in the way and it was enough to get Niall to move. His side was oozing blood, dripping on the floor, but he grabbed his bag, his pants, eyes always on Harry who was cowering on the floor. 

“You! _You!_ ” Niall could hear his voice breaking, finding the stake in his hand as Harry got up, moving closer, one hand out to stop Niall from leaving. “Don’t you dare.” Niall flipped the stake in his hand, a better position to attack with. “You knew.” 

Harry winced, eyes downcast, but he still nodded. Somehow he looked small, standing there naked in his loft, fangs out, hands clenched from the hunger. “The smell.” 

“Yeah. The scent alone would have been a giveaway. You knew what I was. And you let me-” Niall’s words choked off in a sob, and he didn’t realize he’d been moving until his back hit the door. “Don’t follow me,” he ordered when his hand found the handle, pushing the door open. “I won’t pull my punches.” _Please, don’t make me._

He more fell out the door, but the moment he had it shut behind him, Niall ran.


	8. Chapter 8

Niall wasn’t sure how he wound up there, but in the end it probably made sense that he was back on the steps outside Louis’ house, leaning on the bell in nothing but a pair of boxers, bag and trousers still clutched against his chest. He was still bleeding too, but bleeding felt like nothing compared to finding out about Harry. 

To finding out what he was. 

Worst of all, Niall felt like an idiot. He should have guessed. There were signs everywhere. The way they only met at night. The fact that Harry never ate around him. That everyone who’d been with him before came away satisfied, but hungover. No, he didn’t feel like an idiot, he decided. He wasn an idiot. And through it all, his heart ached, not just because he’d been tricked, but because it still loved Harry. 

It loved the terrible jokes and the long kisses, the sweet smiles and great food. Everything. Niall loved Harry through and through, and now he had to hate him. He might have to kill him. He should kill him. 

Niall mashed on the bell again harder, hoping that would make it ring louder. 

“What!” Louis was shouting when he opened the door, hair oddly soft, like he’d gone to bed with no product in it, sweats too big and falling off one hip, hinting at very little underneath. He stared at Niall, giving him a once over while he rubbed at the back of his neck. “Where’re your trousers?” 

Niall pushed past him, headed for the library. He wanted Bressie, not Louis. Louis wasn’t understanding, he’d likely just yell more, but it was the best Niall had. He couldn’t get to Bressie. Louis would have to be enough. 

“Lou? Who is it? Niall, where are you trousers?” 

Niall spun to see Liam coming into the room, still pulling on his shirt. “What the hell are you doing here?” 

Liam flushed bright pink, which was probably answer enough, but Louis waved the question away. “That’s not important,” he said, moving to both block Liam from view and push Niall towards the couch. “You’re bleeding again.” 

“My stitches popped. Are you banging my roommate?!” 

“That’s hardly any of your business. Li, love, grab the first aid kit yeah?” Louis waved again, like it would just go away, but Niall was too upset to let it drop. 

“Hardly any of my business!” Shouting felt good, much better than the tears that were burning at the corner of Niall’s eyes. “He’s my roommate! You’re my Watcher! It’s completely my business!” The last word was choked off though, the tears in his eyes causing a lump in his throat that Niall could barely swallow around. 

Louis looked like he had a response ready, his hair sticking up more with anger, but Liam was suddenly there, a hand on Louis’ shoulder with enough of a squeeze that the tension seeped out of Louis’ frame as he leaned into the touch. Then Liam was headed for Niall, first aid kit dumped on the couch so his hands were free to wrap Niall up in a hug. He was gentle, knowing where the stitches were to keep from hurting him and giving Niall something to cling to. 

And Niall held on for dear life, shocked when the sobs came, the way they shook his whole frame, the way he just desperately needed to cry. Niall wasn’t sure how he wound up on the couch, but Liam was still there, running his hand through Niall’s hair, petting him. “Fix his stitches, yeah, love?” Liam murmured over the top of his head, presumably to Louis, but Niall didn’t care. He felt the pinch of pain while Louis worked, but it didn’t compare to the ache in his heart. 

Harry, his perfect Harry, was a vampire. Harry with fangs, with hunger in his eyes. It was like a nightmare Niall couldn’t wake up from. 

He clung to Liam’s shirt until the sobs stopped, until Louis had re-bandaged his side and wandered off with some sort of comment about tea that no one was listening to. When Niall finally had his breath back, Liam was still petting his hair, humming softly as if Niall were a small child, not a grown man. 

“So...Louis.” 

Liam’s fingers stilled for a moment, then picked up again. “Hmmm,” he agreed, mostly in a hum. “I was just trying to help with research, maybe tidying a little, but...he’s so lonely, you know? Misses Zayn, your friend. Said he’d hoped that with you, you two could be close…” Liam trailed off, but Niall knew what he wasn’t saying. He wasn’t close with Louis, not by any fault of Louis’, but they weren’t close nonetheless. 

“Bressie was gunna come down,” Louis said from the doorway of the study, tray of tea mugs in his hands. “I begged him not to. Said they’d never assign me another charge unless I took one. I swore up and down I could do it. Think I was wrong.” 

Niall shifted to see Louis better, but Louis wasn’t looking at him. He was more focused on setting down the tray, handing out the mugs, then going to sit behind his desk. “Harry’s a vampire,” Niall said with a sigh, feeling like that was what everyone in the room was waiting for.

“A what?!” Louis’ eyes shot up, wide and confused. “Your boyfriend is...fuck.” 

“Louis.” Liam admonished, then shook his head. “I can’t believe it.” 

“I should have seen it,” Niall interrupted, feeling the flood of words on the tip of his tongue. All the thoughts that had been banging around in his head were suddenly spilling out of him. “I should have known what he was, why he was the way he was, but I didn’t want to see it. I wanted him to be perfect. He was perfect.” 

“But a bloody vampire,” Louis added, ever the helpful one. 

“Yeah,” Niall agreed, not sure what else to say. 

Silence stretched between the three of them, each staring at their mugs instead of one another.

“So, what are you going to do?” Liam asked, breaking the silence as it started to get uncomfortable. 

“Dunno,” Niall admitted. 

“You’ve got to put him down,” Louis said at the same time. Niall frowned, shaking his head. 

“He’s not hurting anyone.” 

“Really? He’s a vampire. A predator. There’s no way he hasn’t hurt someone.” 

“He hurt you,” Liam added. 

“Not physically!” Niall shook his head, half getting up, but the pain in his side made him sit back down again. “He stopped himself. He pulled away the moment he smelled blood.” He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t kill Harry, even if he was a vampire. 

“So? Do you hear what you’re saying? You sound like a character out of a Twilight novel. How do you think he’s survived?” Louis got up and went to a cabinet, pulling down a bottle and tipping some of it into his tea before holding it out to Niall. “I’ll give a night of heartache, but after that, we have to deal with him.” 

Niall took the bottle, watching the amber liquid swish before he followed suit, dumping some into it tea. It wasn’t the best of flavors, but it would do that job. 

\---------

It wasn’t the best choice for his coursework, but Niall spent three days alternating between the guestroom that was his at Louis’ house and Louis’ library. Despite Louis’ rules about giving Niall a night of heartache, Louis wasn’t pushing him to do anything more about Harry, not yet at least. Niall kept staring at books under the pretense of doing research, but Niall knew he wasn’t really reading. What was he looking for even? Some sort of answer for the hell hounds? Or a way to get around what Harry was? 

What Niall found himself really doing was watching Louis and Liam. They weren’t a couple, at least not by conventional standards, or they’d toned that down on account of Niall’s heartache, but they were still clearly more than just friends. Niall knew they’d just met, but the duo seemed to move around one another with a seamless ease, understanding the space that each other took, anticipating movements and needs. 

At first Niall had thought it was just Liam, that his urge to take care of everything made him capable of knowing just went to move the tea mug so it didn’t topple off the side of something while Louis gestured when he spoke, but it wasn’t just Liam. Louis knew where to touch Liam’s shoulder so he could move past him, not once bumping into him, only spreading ease with the simplest of touches. It was like a dance, a lovely one, and Niall ached when he thought of how much it reminded him of himself and Harry. 

It was unhealthy, but when he was left alone, Niall couldn’t help but think of Harry. The rational part of his mind said it could never work, that they could never be. It should have been easy to let it go with that alone, but Niall hadn’t ever felt the way he felt about Harry. He’d scoffed at the idea, that first loves could mean more than anything, that they could take someone so out of themselves, but he shouldn’t have. 

Every spare minute that went by had Niall reaching for his phone, hovering over the send button, over ‘I’m sorry’s and forgiveness that Harry didn’t deserve. He’d lied. He’d kept a major secret from Niall and known all along what Niall was, why he had to keep it to himself. Niall should have been livid.

Only he wasn’t. Instead, Niall felt empty, like something important had been ripped out of him. As he looked around him, the stacks of books that spoke of monsters that normal people didn’t even know existed, he wondered how there might ever be someone for him. Maybe loving someone like Harry was what he deserved. Who else besides one of the monsters was going to understand Niall’s life? 

Did that make him one of them? 

“Brought you something,” Liam said, shaking Niall out of his morose thoughts. He held out a little pouch made out of soft velvet dyed a deep red. “It’s from the girls.” 

Niall looked up, arching a brow at Liam. “They invite you to become one of them yet?” he asked, taking the pouch and opening it up to dump the contents into his palm. The pendant was round, neat looking but clearly a few things held pressed together with some sort of glue and wire. Niall wondered what kind of glue worked best for witch jewelry making. 

“What?” Liam asked, trying to sound casual, but he was too pink around the edges. 

“Their coven. They’re witches, right?” he asked, holding up the pendant, watching it swing on the leather strap it hung from. “What’s it do?” 

“They’re not…I’m not…” Liam tried to clear his throat, but it didn’t quite help his voice sound any less croaked. “Protection. And heartache. Pez was adamant about the heartache.” 

“You are. Nick might think Louis has a type, but I think he’s interested in those with a spark,” Niall said, putting on the pendant. It felt warm against his chest for so brief a moment he thought he’d imagined it. 

Liam made a face like that was news to him, but eventually shrugged. “They offered. I haven’t decided yet.” 

Niall shrugged, leaning back in his chair. “Do you want to learn?” 

“I haven’t decided yet. I’m still trying to figure out if it’s even worth it,” Liam admitted honestly. 

Niall nodded, and rubbed at the pendant, feeling it go warm again and the whole motion was oddly soothing. Maybe it did help with heartache. “Have you asked Lou?” 

Liam shook his head. “I don’t think he’d be okay with it.” 

“I doubt he’d have a huge issue. He’ll want to vet the girls first, make sure they’re not causing issues, but Nick’s a druid.” 

“Hedge witch,” Liam said with a murmur of laughter. 

For some reason, the little joke made Niall smile, and the pendant went warm again, some sort of positive reinforcement for finding his own smile, working not like Niall expected, but in a way that definitely helped. “I think you should,” he told Liam. “Join them.” 

Liam looked surprised, but canted his head to the side. “Why?” 

Niall took a deep breath and waved around him. “All of this, none of it threw you. You were more shocked at how nice the place is than what we do, what _I_ do. You’re not meant for a life of ignorant bliss. Plus, I could use a witch on my side.” 

“On your side?” 

Niall smiled again, feeling better with each one. “You were planning on joining the squad, weren’t you?” 

Liam looked around and shrugged. “Do I have a choice?” 

“Would it matter?” 

Liam laughed and shook his head. “No. I’d still pick this, choice or not.” 

Niall leaned across the desk with his fist out. “Consider yourself in then.” Liam bumped his fist and laughed, drawing laughter out of Niall as well. The pendant flooded with warmth and Niall let it wash over him, feeling better than he had in days.


	9. Chapter 9

“Niall!” 

Even though he waited to turn until he heard his name, Niall had heard Harry coming, smelled him coming, one hand on the stake in his jacket. It was amazing how he set off every one of Niall’s internal alerts when Niall listened to them. Why hadn’t he known before? Had he been that blind?

Despite the alert, Niall let Harry catch up with him, glancing over when he did, not relaxing his stance and from the look on Harry’s face, he knew. Harry’s expression was pinched, like the last thing he expected was aggression from Niall, but Niall wasn’t sure how he didn’t expect it. What? Were they just going to be friends again? Lovers? The world didn’t work like that. 

It was probably spite that had Harry drawing in a breath he didn’t need before raising an eyebrow into those wild brown locks of his. “You’re still hurt.” 

Niall’s voice came out gravely, just barely staving off the growl. “What’s it to you?” He turned, but Harry reached out too quickly, pulling him back. Niall was ready though, stake pressed against Harry’s chest, daring him to do more. “Don’t make me.” _Please don’t._ The pendant that Liam had given him made it so Niall wasn’t crumbling into a mess of heartache, but up close, he was more tempted to give into the green eyes that had caught him in the first place. 

Harry sniffed again, smaller this time. “Hellhound. I should have guessed, but I didn’t think he’d get one.” Niall’s grip on the stake lightened slightly, but it stayed in place. 

“Talk, Styles.” 

Harry nodded, then pulled Niall away from the main hall, into an empty classroom. He gave Niall space again, but that didn’t mean the stake went away. Niall wasn’t going to be caught off guard. He kept his back to the door, blocking the exit, staying in range of it in case he needed to make a run for it. 

Harry meanwhile, sat on the edge of a desk, as casual as ever if Niall could ignore the tension in his shoulders. Niall hated that he could pick out Harry’s nervous ticks like that. 

“It’s Bishop,” Harry said, pulling Niall’s eyes away from his shoulders to actually pay attention. 

“Who?” 

“The vampire after you? The one with the nasty looking dog that smelled like death? It’s Bishop.” 

Niall turned the stake in his hand over, narrowing his eyes at Harry. “And you know this how?” 

Harry shrugged, not looking at Niall, but his shoes instead. They were the stupid gold boots that Niall had thought were ridiculously adorable a week before. Now they just seemed stupid and incredibly out of place. Out of time even. He should have known. He should have seen it coming.

“He’s no one. Or he was, years ago. When I first came to the city. He wanted to be more, to rise up, but rising up, that’s just asking for your--for slayers to take us down. We do better hiding in the shadows. So I ignored him. I kept to myself.” 

“Except for all those uni students you killed,” Niall spat. 

Harry shook his head, standing again. “I haven’t killed anyone in years. Decades. I never kill anyone.” 

“But you feed off them.” 

Harry looked pained, but nodded. “Never enough to hurt. Just to survive. You have to understand, I don’t want to hurt anyone.” 

Niall stepped back, holding the stake out between them. “Stop. Stop. I don’t care.” But he did. He wanted to know how it worked, how Harry didn’t hurt anyone, but he couldn’t let himself go down that path. Not again. “Tell me about Bishop.” 

Much to Niall’s relief, Harry took the threat seriously, going back to sitting, far enough away that Niall could breathe easier. “He wanted to take over. Asked me once how to take out a slayer. I said it jokingly because it’s what my sire told me. You see a slayer, you run. We can’t compete.” He smirked up at Niall, but there was a sadness in his eyes. “I clearly didn’t listen.” 

That made Niall’s heart clench, but he dropped his eyes from Harry’s motioning with the stake for the vampire to continue. 

Harry sighed, something he must have affected over the years, because it wasn’t like he _needed_ to breathe, but didn’t push the issue of them. “I made the comment that hell hounds, that they were something that could take down slayers. I mean, that’s their job. They’re reapers’ pets, meant to drag souls to hell. There’s nothing that can withstand them. I just never thought he’d get one. It’s not like you can just adopt one a shelter.” 

“How do you get one?” 

Harry shrugged. “You steal it. From a reaper. Have you ever met a reaper?” 

Niall thought about that, but shook his head in the end. He didn’t even know that was a thing until a moment before. 

“Exactly. I bet even your age old watcher wouldn’t know what they are.” 

“You know about Louis.” 

Harry laughed, something that wasn’t quite as lighthearted as Niall was used to hearing. “I knew about him the first time I saw him. He screams out of place in time. He gives off an aura.” 

“Vampires can’t read auras.” 

“No, but Harrys have done extensive research into them.” Harry was smirking again, a touch more light in his eyes at the playful response. 

“Haz.” The nickname slipped out and it hurt them both, Niall could see it in the wince across Harry’s face and felt it in his chest. He cleared his throat. “Harry.”

“Right. Sorry. He must have found one. I mean you can, if you know what to look for. Or who to look for. Who would be easier, but that would mean meeting one and it’s not like they show up when vampires are sired. Maybe if you can wait out a soul that’s lingering in a body. Normally, no one really notices them. I mean I guess if you’re really looking you might spot one, but most people don’t really believe they exist. So the idea of finding one, taking its pet, which is really more an extension of itself, that’s so far fetched…” 

“So you sent him on a wild goose chase and now we’re having to deal with the consequence of him being successful.” It wasn’t a question. Did that make Harry responsible for Zayn’s death? 

“No. I didn’t even mention where to find one. I just said that that was the only thing that could surely work. He didn’t believe me they were real.” 

“But he has one!” Niall wasn’t expecting to shout, so much so that the loudness of his voice startled him. 

Harry didn’t say anything for a long moment, but eventually he nodded. “He does. I knew about that too.” He got up again, making Niall step back, but Harry didn’t seem to notice. “You don’t just have to find a reaper, you have to kill a reaper. And a vampire can’t kill a reaper. Not really. We can’t even see them. You have to be living to see them.” 

“Which you’re not,” Niall said, still not sure where he was going with it. 

“Right. But a slayer…” 

“You think…” 

Harry tilted his head back and forth. “Only makes sense. And then in the moment a hell hound would be unbound and-” 

“‘N that bastard bound it to himself? Can he do tha’? Just the thought was making Niall anxious enough to bring out his accent. “What slayer would have helped him?” 

Harry shrugged again. “The only one that’s been here for a while was…” 

“Zayn.” 

Niall sat hard on closest desk, trying to process that. “He took down a reaper, then set himself up to…” His voice caught, but before he could say something else, arms were around him, a familiar scent filling his nose. Vampire yes, but all Harry. Niall knew he should push Harry away, but his heart wanted to give in, wanted that contact. The pendant under his shirt warmed against his skin, the same way it had with Liam. 

His heart wanted Harry. 

“How do I kill it?” he asked, turning so he was pressed against Harry’s chest, arms going around his waist, stake loose in his hand. He wasn’t going to do anything about it. Not now. 

Somewhere above him, Harry shook his head. “You can’t. They’re not alive. They’re not supposed to exist on this plane. They’re from the space between life and death.” Harry paused, humming softly to himself. “You could alter the binding though.” 

“Bind it to myself?” 

“Something like that.” 

“How?” 

Harry pulled back, his fingers grazing Niall’s cheeks, until Niall pulled away. For an instant Harry looked hurt, but then it faded. “I know where to find out. I’ll bring it to you.” 

“I’m not…” 

“You’re with Louis. I know.” He looked bashful for a moment then touched his nose. “I had to make sure you were okay. After that night.” 

“I wasn’t.” 

Harry crossed his arms over his chest and shrugged his shoulders. “But you were somewhere safe. And with someone safe.” 

Niall’s fingers were in Harry’s shirt before he could stop himself. He hadn’t even noticed he’d done it until he heard the stake clatter to the floor. “I wanted to be with you. I wanted you to be safe.” 

Harry’s hands were cupping his cheeks, pulling him up to nuzzle against his nose. “What makes you think I’m not?” 

“Haz.” It was pained, drawn out, so different than when Niall had said it a moment before. 

“I’d never hurt you,” Harry said. “Not intentionally. Or physically.” The pendant glowed warmer, almost burning his skin, but Niall ignored it. He knew what was going on. He knew what he needed, what made him feel whole. “I’ve waited ages for you,” Harry murmured before kissing Niall and every reason that Niall had for pulling away was forgotten. He fell into the kiss and let the world disappear. 

\-----

“No.” 

“Louis. It’s bloody raining,” Niall said with a sigh, pulling the hood up on his jacket. “Let us in. Just say he can come in.” 

“Don’t care.” Louis crossed his arms and looked at intimidating as he got and Niall realized he’d never actually seen it before. He was bordering on terrifying. “I’m not letting a vampire in the house.” 

“I don’t mind,” Harry said, hand on Niall’s arm which just made Louis narrow his eyes more. “I can explain it here.” Harry held out a book to the watcher, which Louis glared at before taking it as if it were a bomb. 

“Explain what?” Liam piped in from behind Louis. 

“How to bind the hell hound to Liam,” Harry said plainly. 

“What?” 

“No!” 

Louis and Niall spoke at the same time, then both turned on Harry who was starting to drip on the stoop. “Why does it have to be Liam?” Niall asked. 

“Doesn’t matter. It’s not happening,” Louis insisted. “I won’t let him.” 

Harry had a curious look on his face, but shook his head hard enough that water splashed on Niall. 

“A witch has to do the ritual,” Harry said. “Well done, by the way, Liam. I should have known you were a spark.” Niall watched Liam flush and somehow duck behind Louis even though Louis was smaller. “And if Niall is fighting, it make more sense to keep him out of the ritual.” 

“This Bishop character tried to kill Liam once. I’d rather him not get eaten. Your plan is stupid.” Niall was surprised that Louis didn’t stop his foot, but he was clearly holding his ground. 

“Who else though? Nick could right?” 

“Druids aren’t witches,” Liam pointed out from over Louis’ shoulder, then his hand was covering that same spot, his head leaning into Louis to whisper in his ear. Niall couldn’t quite make out the words, but he saw Harry smile softly. 

“I don’t want you to,” Louis finally said with a sigh, turning to look at Liam. “It’s not safe.” 

Liam laughed and pressed a hand against Louis’s cheek. “But I want to help,” he said, reaching for the book and plucking it from Louis’ fingers with a small kiss to his lips. “Tell me what to do,” he asked Harry. 

“From the stoop,” Louis chimed in, but Niall noticed his eyes were still a little glazed over. 

\-------

Niall crept along the wall of one of the university buildings, listening for voices. Well, ones that weren’t the watcher behind him. 

“This is a worse idea than Zayn’s plan to go to Ireland,” Louis grumbled, causing Niall to look back at him. 

“You didn’t have to come.” 

“Yes, I did,” Louis said, looking petulant. “Someone had to make sure you didn’t get Liam killed.” 

“I’m not going to get killed, Louis. I trust Niall,” Liam added from behind Louis. 

“Well, I don’t trust Harry. And Niall is still a novice.” 

Niall shot Louis a dirty look, but didn’t comment. He motioned for both of them to be quiet, moving a few steps closer to the corner, eyes peeking around it before leaning back against it and signalling Louis. This was the right spot. The voices around the corner were more than whispers now, a conversation rising up out of the silence of the night. 

“So he dumped you? And what, you’re here now?” The low voice was edged with contempt, and Niall knew it well enough to know it was Bishop. It was a voice he guessed he’d hear in his nightmares until the next horrible thing descended on them. 

Providing they got through this horrible thing first of course. 

“You said I could come back.” That was Harry, dressed in one of Niall’s shirts that tugged too tight across his shoulders. It would mask the scent of Niall approaching and hopefully give him some sort of advantage. Harry had reached out to Bishop, brought him out to meet him, teased the idea of joining up with the coven. 

“I told you, you’re not one of them,” Bishop said. 

“I know. I know that now. Come on, Bish.” Harry sounded miserable, heartbroken and needy. Niall tried not to think about the fact that Harry could have wound up in the same place, but for real, as a result of their break up. Niall wasn’t even sure if they were even broken up anymore. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Bishop said, waving his hand, like he was so much better than Harry. “Fine. On one condition.” 

“Whatever,” Harry plead. 

“Help me kill him.” 

It hung in the air, a pregnant pause that said everything, that spoiled the whole set up. Harry wasn’t going to agree to that, not right away like he should if he really was as done with Niall as he’d claimed to be. 

Niall felt it, the way the whole situation shifted and he lost his upper hand. Still, that didn’t mean he couldn’t fight. The stake was in his hand before he had to think to grab it, and sailing across the space between him and one of Bishop’s new goons. The vampire dusted before it could even register to do something and, when the other with Bishop attacked, Niall was already on the move from the spot he’d been in. 

As expected, the cronies with Bishop followed him, leaving Louis and Liam protected, at least for the moment. Niall found himself in the middle of four of them, trying to fight them off and keep them distracted from his friends all at the same time. He spun and staked one, then two, landing a hard roundhouse kick in another’s chest. 

The last one came at him from behind though, slamming what must have been part of one of the short retaining walls into Niall’s back, causing him to sink to his knees with a groan of pain. He heard laughter then, vile and evil, and clearly Bishop. 

He rolled, kicking out with his leg again, catching the stone his attacker still held. It was enough to throw off the vampire’s hold, sending both the rock and the vampire backwards until the vampire fell and was pinned under it. Niall dropped to a knee with the stake in hand, dusting the vampire under the rock before turning to hit the other that was running at him just before it made contact. 

He sucked in a breath, finally slowing, hearing the ringing in his ears fade away into a growl. Niall didn’t see it, but he could smell it, death and pain, hurtling at him. Something with a taste for flesh that wouldn’t die. He barely spun in time, teeth grazing his arm more than he would have liked, but he managed to wedge the stake in its mouth, keeping the hell hound from chomping his arm off. 

It didn’t hold though, wood splintering and snapping in powerful jaws, making toothpicks of Niall’s normal form of defence. He moved as fast as he could, arm losing feeling where the poison of the bite sunk in. He managed to get a few steps back before it lunged again, springing forward on powerful hind legs. Niall ducked, catching it around the middle sending both of them sprawling before he was rolling again, trying to avoid the snapping jaw. 

“Faster would be good,” he shouted, just as the hellhound got his teeth on Niall’s shoulder. He fought back, jabbing at it with a knife. He felt the knife contact, but the jaws didn’t let go and he started to see spots in his vision. “Lou!” 

“Just a second!” Niall wasn’t sure how many seconds he had, but then suddenly the hellhound let go of his shoulder and he could move again. He turned, seeing Harry with the rock from before and Niall was lunging at the hellhound before it could pounce on Harry. 

“LOUIS!” He was shouting this time, but Louis’ voice came back as a grunt. 

“BUSY!” 

Niall looked up, seeing Louis struggling with Bishop, trying to keep him from Liam, and Liam seemed to half be in a trance. “Harry,” he plead, watching Harry understand, leaving Niall with the beast and heading to Louis’ aid. 

The hellhound shook Niall off his back, throwing him feet away and turning to charge him again. Niall’s back hit a wall, something cracked in his already damaged shoulder, but he still head the knife out, ready to go down if this was how it went. The monster knew it, pacing slowly, eying his prey and, for the first time since he’d become a slayer, Niall felt like prey. It shrank back, poised to coil, to lunge forward, and the moment it did, Niall braced for impact. 

“STOP!” 

Liam’s voice was clear, sure, and when the hit never came, when sharp teeth didn’t rip his flesh, Niall dared to open an eye. The hellhound was sitting back, relaxed, watching Liam with a curious face. Liam, who looked stronger and older with one spell alone. A set of hieroglyphics had appeared on his arm, a tattoo that hadn’t been there earlier in the night. 

“C’mere,” he beckoned the hound and bound towards him, but just as Niall’s heart clenched in fear, the hellhound nuzzled at Liam’s leg. “Good boy,” Liam said, petting its head. 

Everyone stared, frozen in their place, at least until Bishop started moving. He was running, faster than Niall could even get up. Liam turned at the sound, and the hellhound growled as if it was an extension of the dark look in Liam’s eyes. “Fetch.” 

The simplest of commands, but the dog was off. Louis hurried to Niall’s side, helping him up, tucked under his good shoulder, waiting until they heard a shout, a ripping noise that petered off the same way any vampire did when it was dusted. The dog came back, trotting happily, dust on his snout. Liam patted his head like it was nothing. “Good boy.” 

Niall let himself breathe, even if every breath made him bleed more, but he knew Liam had the concoction from Nick, just in case. He’d be fine. They’d all be fine. They could go back to - 

“Where’s Harry?” Liam asked, breaking into Niall’s thoughts. 

He looked around as best he could, but Harry was nowhere to be found. “Figures.”


	10. Epilogue

There was a new TA in Niall’s class when he went back later that week. She’d looked at his sling with a concerned little expression, but thankfully didn’t ask. Niall wasn’t sure why he expected Harry to still be there when it made so much sense that he was gone. 

The same was true when he dared to go by Harry’s flat, knocking on the door only to be told by the woman across the hall that the nice young man had moved out. She was disappointed there was no one to take care of her cat anymore. 

The pendant that Liam had given him helped, it took the edge off, made things easier to deal with. It didn’t really fix things though. Niall’s heart still ached. 

“You going to go looking for him?” Liam asked, reading Niall’s mind. The hellhound was curled at his feet, looking more like an oversized pitbull than a harbinger of death. For some reason, they’d decided to keep it. It was less scary when Liam was controlling it, calmer, like it had pulled from his personality. They’d done research into the tattoo on Liam’s arm, but so far nothing. Niall knew Louis wasn’t giving up for fear his boyfriend had turned into a reaper. 

That was a thing too. They were together. No one had said when it happened, but Niall knew it now. Louis was Liam’s and vice versa. Niall tried hard not to be jealous. 

“No,” Niall said, tossing his empty can of lager at the closest trash bin. “He doesn’t want me to find him.” 

Liam hummed softly. “You know, if Louis just left, I’d go after him.” 

“Louis isn’t leaving, mate. He’s afraid of places that don’t carry Yorkshire tea.” 

“That’s not the point.” Liam didn’t speak again and when Niall looked over, he was staring at him. “The point is, you go looking for who you love. Even when they think they know better.” 

“You…” 

“We’re not talking about that,” Liam said, with a flush rising on his cheeks. “But yeah. You?” 

Niall sighed heavily, looking out at the garden in the back of Louis’ house and nodded. “Yeah. So much.” 

\--------

The streetlight caught the glint of hair, the shine of a curl, and it was just enough to get Niall to turn. He frowned, then tilted his head again, seeing the silhouette there and wondering. He blinked and it was gone, like it had never been there, but he felt it. 

A moment later his phone buzzed. 

The message was from a blocked number. 

**I won’t ask you to wait, but you should know I’m waiting for you.**

Niall didn’t know what to make of it, or how to even respond. He looked back at the streetlight, the space where someone had been, someone familiar. His phone buzzed again. This time it was from Louis. 

**Attacks on the west side of campus. Time to get back to work.**


End file.
